Brendon McCullum, Ben Stokes
Brendon McCullum, Ben Stokes. (Photo: Twitter)

The Ben Stokes-Brendon McCullum era of Test cricket has gotten off to the best possible start as the team has won its previous four matches, and what makes the accomplishment even more remarkable is that they have pursued more than 250 runs in each of those games.

In the morning session of Day 5 of the most recent Edgbaston Test against India, England continued to chase 378 with seven wickets remaining.

Teams Don’t Know How To Play Third Innings: Ben Stokes

India vs England (Image Credits: Twitter)
India vs England (Image Credits: Twitter)

Stokes stated that he wanted India to set a target of 450 to see how his team would have performed after the victory. 

“Don’t know where it [the line] is. There was a bit of me that almost wanted them to get 450, to see what we’d do.

I said yesterday after we finished the day’s play, look at how teams will be viewing us at the moment, that third innings now has become a fourth innings – because they have to concentrate on how we’re going to play, and they’re worried about that,” Stokes told Sky Sports, as reported by ESPNcricinfo. 

“So to be in that position as a team, being feared before they’ve even finished their innings is an unbelievable place to be in. Teams don’t know how to play the third innings, especially when they’ve got a lead,” he added. 

Most Fun Five Weeks Of My Career: Ben Stokes

Root and Bairstow both scored 142 and 114 runs, respectively, as they combined for a 269-run unbroken fourth-wicket partnership. Both batsmen had respectable strike rates, and India was helpless to stop them. 

Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow. PC- Getty
Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow. PC- Getty

“It’s been the most fun five weeks I’ve had in my career so far. I don’t think everyone can understand what’s happened here. When you get given clarity in what you want to do and what you want to achieve, and think about bigger than results, it makes everything a lot easier.

It takes away the external pressure of what international sport can throw at you. When you know what you want to go out there and do, it makes everything a lot more simple,” said Stokes. 

“We are trying to rewrite how Test cricket is being played, in England especially. All the different plans that we put together over the last four or five weeks, for every different situation is something we’ll look to carry forward.

It’s not always about bowling top of off or drying up, it’s how are we going to take wickets? That’s what you need to do as a bowling attack, take 10 wickets,” he added. 

We Want To Leave A Mark On Test Cricket: Ben Stokes

The five-game series between India and England that began last year ended 2-2, but India would retain the Pataudi Trophy since they had previously defeated England in India. 

Joe Root, Ben Stokes
Joe Root, Ben Stokes. (Photo: Twitter)

“We know that we want to give new life to Test cricket, and the way that we go about it, and the support that we’ve received over the last five weeks has been incredible. It’s amazing, in such a short space of time, we feel like we are bringing a new set of fans to the game.

Inspiring the next generation is what we want to do, this game at the moment is bigger than results for us, it’s about people who come in to represent England in the future, guys who come into the dressing room after. We want to leave a mark on Test cricket,” said Ben Stokes. 

Also Read: ENG vs IND: It Is Not Really Baz Ball – Nasser Hussain After England’s Victory In The 5th Test