As the cricketing world continues to witness the glitz and glamour of the legendary Ashes series, one name has emerged as the talk of the town – Zak Crawley. Amidst the star-studded line-up of Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Joe Root, and Ben Stokes, Crawley has captured the imagination like no other during the Ashes 2023. This young English opener has truly come to the fore, showcasing his potential and talent in the grandest Test series of all time.
Crawley sets the Ashes on fire
Zak Crawley’s journey in international cricket began back in 2019, and while he showed glimpses of promise early on, it is now, after 38 games, that he has truly set the stage on fire. With the unwavering faith of the ECB and England team management, Crawley’s growth and development have been nothing short of remarkable.
In the Ashes opener in Birmingham, Crawley dazzled with a flamboyant 61, followed by a crisp 48 at Lord’s. While his brilliance might have been overshadowed by Australia taking a 2-0 lead, the signs were there that Crawley was ready to take off. At Headingley, he got starts in both innings but missed out on converting them into big scores. However, he remained content with the bigger picture – England pulling one back to keep the Ashes dream alive.
Then came the moment of reckoning. In Manchester, Crawley unleashed an extraordinary knock of 189 off just 182 balls. The Australian bowling line-up, comprising the likes of Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins, and Mitchell Starc, felt the brunt of his onslaught. Former England captain Alastair Cook was all praise for the innings, comparing Crawley’s fearless attitude and charisma to that of former Indian opener Virender Sehwag.
Cook couldn’t hide his admiration for Crawley’s strokeplay against top-quality bowlers. He even drew parallels to Sehwag’s ability to take frontline bowlers down. Crawley’s unique style of play, taking on the best in the world with shots no other opener dares to attempt, is what sets him apart and makes him a true game-changer.
Crawley’s Sehwag resemblance
The young Englishman’s innings laid the foundation for England’s comeback, putting them on level terms after Australia had posted 317 in their first innings. Crawley’s strokeplay, ranging from elegant reverse sweeps to exquisite boundaries, lifted his confidence, and he achieved the distinction of joining Sehwag in a list of batters with the highest Test score at faster than a run a ball.
Unlike Sehwag, who attacked from the outset, Crawley displayed a more measured approach before unleashing his array of delightful shots. His partnership of 206 runs with Joe Root for the third wicket breathed life into England’s hopes, eventually handing them the lead. Crawley’s innings of 189 featured 21 fours and three sixes, leaving cricketing legends in awe of his talent. Alastair Cook, England’s second-most successful Test captain, couldn’t help but shower him with praise, admitting that Crawley played shots he could only dream of.
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