Sky Sports' Nasser Hussain: "I don't know of an England cricket captain that has had a quicker impact on our Test team than Ben Stokes. England have been outstanding and, more importantly the crowds have watched this style of cricket and said 'I am buying into this, it is wonderful'."
Tuesday 5 July 2022 16:04, UK
After one win in 17 Tests, England have now secured four victories on the bounce, with each of them coming after superb run chases.
The one against India topped the lot as the hosts knocked off a record 378 at Edgbaston, with the in-form Jonny Bairstow (114no) and Joe Root (142no) taking their team home on the fifth morning.
Sky Sports Cricket's Nasser Hussain reflects on a "truly remarkable" victory and the transformative impact new captain Ben Stokes has had...
I don't know of an England cricket captain that has had a quicker impact on our Test team than Stokes.
The first time I saw him arrive in this England side I thought he was a smart cricketer.
There are talented cricketers that go out there and do it and then there are smart cricketers. Very rarely do you get a talented, smart cricketer - but that is what Stokes is. You look at the World Cup final or Headingley in 2019.
He thinks his way through any given situation, so when I was asked who should take over from Joe Root as England captain there was only one candidate.
[His early success] shows you not to judge a player by people that have gone before.
All I heard was 'it doesn't work for all-rounders as England captain, Sir Ian Botham, Andrew Flintoff etc'. He is not Botham or Flintoff, he is Ben Stokes.
I have been impressed by some of the tactics and how he has handled spinner Jack Leach, some of the subtle tactics a viewer might not see on their TV screen.
For example, for James Anderson and Stuart Broad he has mid-off and mid-on so straight and a cover but not a cover-point, saying to them 'you are going to pitch the ball up as we are looking for wickets'.
The pace of change has amazed me - and that is the Brendon McCullum factor.
England had Broad padded up as nightwatchman on day four. I cannot think of a bloke I would least like to have as nightwatchman as he just tees off but that is exactly what England want.
The confidence going through the dressing room tells you everything. Whatever you give them they are going to treat it like a one-day game. They are going to come at you. They might lose the odd game but the belief is there and by playing this way they will win more than they lose.
There will be difficult times, where fourth-innings run chases will be tougher than they have been this summer. England will make mistakes and they will have to learn from them.
Zak Crawley is a good example. He has made mistakes. He has been backed by McCullum and Stokes but quietly behind the scenes will have sat there thinking, 'I can't keep getting out like this'.
He remained positive but left the ball well.
This win over India was remarkable. To do it once it is remarkable, to do it four times on the bounce is unbelievable, it really is.
The form that Jonny Bairstow and Root are in - I can't remember a pair of England cricketers being in such form for such a sustained period.
I will be perfectly honest, it's not really Bazball. The way they are playing is just what normal Root and Bairstow can do.
They are not being reckless, not being stupid - have you seen either of them play a shot this summer where you think, 'what have they done that for?'
Every time they have taken a risk, they have nailed it. They have been so smart, so sensible. You cannot bowl to those two at the moment. That's how good they are.
England have been outstanding and, more importantly the crowds have watched this style of cricket and said 'I am buying into this, it is wonderful'.
Watch England's white-ball team in action on Sky Sports Cricket on Thursday as they face India in the first T20 international at The Ageas Bowl. Coverage starts at 5.30pm with the first ball at 6pm.
