England v India: Bazball at a crossroads after heavy defeat in third Test - Jonathan Agnew

Defeat in the third Test against India was chastening for England.

From the start I have been very positive about their so-called Bazball approach.

That's because I saw for myself where England were almost two years ago in Grenada during the series defeat by West Indies that signalled the end of Joe Root's captaincy.

It was a disaster.

What captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum have done since with this exciting, aggressive approach has been a breath of fresh air.

There were the thrilling victories in that first summer against New Zealand and South Africa, the incredible 3-0 series win in Pakistan and, of course, the way England fought back to draw a riveting 2023 Ashes.

Stokes and McCullum have managed to fill largely the same players with confidence and revolutionise how they go about their game.

It has been brilliant.

But now, after England's largest defeat in terms of runs since World War Two, the Bazball approach is at a crossroads.

It got England out of their terrible trot of one win in 17 matches.

It got them winning again, made people rave about about their performances and brought eyes to the longest format.

From that perspective, it has done its job, but if you want to be successful against the best teams you cannot play like that all the time.

If you do you will lose and lose by 434 runs, as England did in Rajkot.

Their attacking style should not be binned altogether, of course. But now is the time for this team to be more sensible, more flexible, in how they play.

You can debate the tired bowling to Yashavsi Jaiswal as he hit another fine double century or the collapse on the fourth day, this Test was lost because of how England batted in their first innings on that third morning.

They started 238 runs behind India at 207-2 and in a position where, had they batted sensibly, they could have ended the day 50 or 60 runs in front - possibly even more.

Instead, they were aggressive and lost their last eight wickets for 95 runs, which handed India the advantage.

The epitome of it all was Joe Root, who decided 20 minutes into the day to play his reverse scoop off Jasprit Bumrah and was caught for 18.

In any match the impact on both teams of the best player getting out is immense. For England it was a real hammer blow while India gained an easy win.

Root has to be greedier - 77 runs across six innings in this series is a poor return for anyone, never mind someone of his calibre.

Someone like Ben Duckett should continue to play the Bazball way. His 153 in the first innings was brilliant and an example of how certain players can be transformed by the liberation of England's plan.

Root, though, like others in this batting line-up, is struggling.

We heard from Duckett and Stokes during this match, with the pair saying this is the way they play and they don't care about other opinions.

That is fine saying it to us but I hope there is more honesty than that in the dressing room.

Stokes is very competitive. I cannot imagine he enjoys being captain of a team that loses like this - a result that will be spoken about for years to come, given the hiding England received.

There needs to be scope for players to tighten up their game and have a bit more common sense. It is screamingly obvious they need to play a slightly different way.

They will not face criticism for playing in a tighter, more circumspect fashion at times. They would actually gain respect for it.

If they are smarter, more disciplined and adapt, I still believe they can win one of these remaining two matches, starting with the fourth Test in Ranchi on Friday.

It may not look like it after such a one-sided result, but this India team is vulnerable.

Yes, the confidence of England's bowlers will have taken a big hit after what Jaiswal did to them and there are also far too many four balls from the young spinners, who are still finding their way.

But England look a more balanced side with two quick bowlers and what they have done over the past two years shows we cannot write them off.

All those players know what the positive side of Bazball can be. They have won those great games but have now also experienced what it feels like when it goes badly wrong.

They have to learn from this and not give India a knee-up again.

Play a more intelligent game and that may yet reap rewards.

Jonathan Agnew was speaking to BBC Sport's Matthew Henry