# Bazball era ends as New Zealand win series in England 2026-08-08T05:54:29+00:00 | Sports | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet New Zealand beat England by 160 runs in the third Test at Trent Bridge, becoming the first team to win a three-match series in England after losing the opening Test. The defeat marked the end of Ben Stokes' international career and Brendon McCullum's final Test as England coach, bringing the Bazball era to a close. The ultra-aggressive style, which began with a series win against New Zealand in 2022, saw early success but unravelled against India and other sides. The Hindu reports that Bazball was conceived by McCullum and executed by Stokes, removing the fear of failure and prioritising wins over draws. After a string of spectacular chases in 2022, England lost four straight Tests to India in 2024, exposing the approach's limitations. Critics point to Joe Root's unnecessary reverse-scoop against Jasprit Bumrah as a symptom of the method's hubris. ## Coverage - thehindu.com Tags: Bazball, Ben Stokes, Brendon McCullum, England cricket, New Zealand cricket, Test cricket Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/bazball-era-ends-as-new-zealand-win-series-in-england/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/bazball-era-ends-as-new-zealand-win-series-in-england/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.