Jasprit Bumrah says he doesn’t “relate to the term Bazball”, and feels England’s aggressive approach will keep him in the game as a bowler.

Bumrah is expected to play a key part as India look to extend their proud home record in the upcoming Test series against England, which begins on Thursday, January 26. India have lost just three home Tests in the last decade, but, under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum, the current tourists will present a unique challenge, having pioneered an all-guns-blazing method since taking charge ahead of the 2022 summer.

Speaking to the Guardian, Bumrah explained how he feels England’s style is a genuine innovation, but one which offers him opportunities to take wickets.

“I don’t really relate to the term Bazball,” he says. “But they are playing successful cricket and the aggressive route of taking the opposition on, showing the world there’s another way to play Test cricket.

“As a bowler, what I think is that it keeps me in play. And if they’re going for it, playing so fast, they won’t tire me out, I could get heaps [of wickets]. I always think about how I can use things to my advantage. Kudos to them but, as a bowler, you’re in the game.”

The right-arm quick, who has taken 140 Test wickets at 21.21, will get his chance to take revenge for a famous England win under Stokes and McCullum. Playing the rescheduled fifth Test of the 2021 series in 2022, England recovered from 83-5 in response to 416 and then chased 376 courtesy of a pair of sublime Jonny Bairstow hundreds. Bumrah, stand-in captain for the game, was powerless as Bairstow put in the performance which would win the inaugural Wisden Trophy, awarded by the Wisden Almanack for the outstanding Test performance of the year.

Now vice-captain of the Test side, Bumrah said he still enjoyed his taste of captaincy, and would be keen to take up the role on a permanent basis when Rohit Sharma departs the scene. “I did one game and it was the utmost honour,” he said. “Playing Test cricket is great, captaining was even better. Yes, we lost but we were ahead in the match and I loved the responsibility. Sometimes as a fast bowler you go down to fine leg and switch off but I loved being involved in every decision, right in the thick of things.

“And given the opportunity, of course, who wouldn’t? [Pat Cummins] plays for Australia, the number of matches differs and that kind of thing. Not many [seamers] have done it before. But it’s a good example that yes, fast bowlers are the smart ones, they do a hard job and they know what to do around the game.”

That Edgbaston Test was Bumrah’s last game in the format until India’s recent two-Test tour of South Africa. Bumrah, exemplary in India’s silver-medal World Cup campaign, claimed 12 wickets against the Proteas to confirm he had returned from his lay-off as sharp as ever.