From a rabble to “unstoppable” in 12 months.
England hit rock-bottom after its 4-0 Ashes thumping, which prompted significant personnel upheaval.
One year later and the team is not only banking wins – and lots of them – it’s also playing the most breathtaking and compelling cricket of any Test side.
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And while new coach Brendon McCullum has received ample plaudits for his influence on the group since taking over as England coach, new captain Ben Stokes has been just as significant. That impact has been blatantly clear in his side’s past two victories in the subcontinent.
Stokes on Monday led England to a dramatic and thrilling 26-run win over Pakistan, taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
England claim 26-run win over Pakistan! | 02:27
It sealed England’s third Test series win in Pakistan after victories 1961 and 2000 – although the team hasn’t toured in 17 years because of security issues. Former England batter Mark Butcher labelled it “a stunning achievement”, considering England‘s lack of high-quality spin bowling in spin-friendly conditions that often lead to ample drawn results.
The win on Monday was also England’s eighth victory in the nine Tests since McCullum took over as head coach and Stokes as captain in May this year.
Those victories have been built around ‘Bazball’ – a term coined from McCullum’s nickname that describes the aggressive, free-wheeling approach the New Zealander has instilled in the side since taking over.
But it’s an approach that Stokes is fully invested in too. According to ex-England captain Michael Atherton, that‘s clear to see in Stokes’ attitude as skipper.
“He’s transformed England’s test match team,” Atherton told Sky Sports after play on Monday.
“He’s just completely galvanised them with virtually the same players (as last Australian summer) … It’s just the measure of leadership.
“He’s going to be a very significant English captain. He’s going to be one of our greatest ever captains by the time he finishes I think. I can’t remember or think of another captain – certainly for England and I’m trying to think more worldwide – who’s had such a dramatic and immediate impact upon taking over.
“Think where England were (earlier this year). I stood at the end of the Ashes calling for the heads of the captain and the coach and director of cricket – England were terrible at the end of that Ashes. Then getting beaten in the Caribbean. Suddenly, the whole team has completely transformed and galvanised under different leadership.
“The combination of Stokes and McCullum and that clear messaging that we’ve talked about it and that creation of an attitude where ‘it’s not the be-all and end-all if we get beat, we’re going to give it a go … we’re going to plan for the future but live for the moment’.”
Another former England captain, David Gower, said Stokes and his team’s mode of cricket was “unstoppable”.
“England must be incredibly proud with the way they’ve led the way in this series. They’ve set a very different tone – one that’s never been seen before in Pakistan,” Gower said in commentary after Ollie Robinson took the final wicket of the match,
“This is very much a squad thing for England. Everyone buys in to the morals of this England team, everyone buys in to the ethos of this England team. They are all there battling alongside each other and the results have proven that the influx of Stokes and (Brendon) McCullum has been just the tonic England cricket needed.”
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Chasing 355 to win in its fourth innings, Pakistan gave England an almighty scare on the fourth day. Mohammad Nawaz (45) and Saud Shakeel (94), who hit eight boundaries in his 314-minute vigil, added 80 runs for the sixth wicket as England found scalps hard to come by on a Multan pitch that slowed considerably as the game progressed.
But Stokes remained cool under pressure and backed his bowlers to complete the job.
Stokes brought on Mark Wood before lunch and was instantly rewarded with Nawaz caught by wicket-keeper Ollie Pope. In his next over, Wood forced Shakeel to play a pull shot off a short ball that caught his glove, with Pope taking a diving catch to his left.
Stokes was also prepared to give spinners Joe Root and Jack Leach ample opportunity to make breakthroughs, while he also opted not to rush Wood, Robinson and Jimmy Anderson into the attack.
“Ben Stokes just seemed in control (late in the match) and everything at the moment he touches turns to gold and every decision he seems to make is paying off because he’s so intrinsically in tune with the game he’s playing,” former England paceman Steve Finn told Sky Sports.
“One thing I’ve noticed from this team is their willingness to do unorthodox things for Ben Stokes – and he seems to be the sort of leader who inspires people to want to bowl those last two overs n those last 10 minutes before lunch or tea, because he recognises that as a really important time to bowl.
“Ben Stokes seems like the type of leader who says: ‘There’s 10 minutes here for you to make a difference and this is your opportunity to make a difference for me, so go and do it’ – and people are so willing to do that. I think that everyone buying into that really makes a difference.”
Speaking post-game, Stokes said his team had “achieved something really special this week” but added these series victories and wins were “part of a much bigger picture in what we’re trying to achieve”.
“We want to be playing entertaining cricket, regardless of the situation,” he said.
Asked if he could’ve imagined winning eight of his first nine Tests in charge as captain, Stokes said: “I didn’t really look at it like that when I first got the job. I just wanted to come in and change a few things up and get things going in a different direction.
“But gee it’s been an amazing nine games to start off with. I feel very honoured and privileged to be part of something like this and having everyone, not just the players but the backroom staff, all being on the same path is really good.”
That response, according to Butcher, summed up why Stokes had been able to have such an immediate impact on the England side.
“I was watching that interview and I was thinking just how clear, how calm and how there’s a humility about him. The leadership has come very easily to him simply because he doesn’t take anything for granted,” Butcher said.
“He’s one of those characters that’s physically imposing as well as being mentally calming for the people around him – and that’s a wonderful thing to have in a leader.
“Brendon is the same. I remember having long discussions with Brendon when he was coaching in the Caribbean Premier League and he wanted to make it unbelievably simple. He wanted the players to feel like they could do anything, that there were no consequences for poor decision-making or poor technical outcomes and that they would go out there, back one another and looking to win and entertain at all costs.
“If you strip it all back to that and nothing else … and you get a little bit of success early on, that boulder starts to roll downhill and it‘s gathering snow and it’s getting bigger and bigger and becomes very difficult to stop.”
— with AFP
