Ben Stokes' homecoming gives England chance to 'show the world how good they are'

Eoin Morgan, who announced his retirement from all cricket on Monday, and was captain for 103 of Stokes’ 137 caps across ODI and T20I cricket is another. “Obviously I don’t need to go too much into how he did it,” he mused, with a knowing grin. Pretty much all of Morgan’s principles established during England’s white-ball revolution have been instilled during this red-ball transformation.The third and most surprising is Don Collier, a character played by Brad Pitt in , a film set in 1945 about a tank commander who has to inspire his crew to fight their way across Germany during the final weeks of the European theatre of World War II. “[It’s about] just trying to set an example by the things that you do and say,” Stokes said, “and if you do say something then going out and actually doing it because that’s when you get a really good response.”Stokes went on to say that sometimes, failing can be better for the collective. That does not quite play out as well in war. But in a sport where mistakes weigh so heavily, the manner in which Stokes operates on the field – particularly with bat in hand – reflects demanding as much of himself as he does of them. Especially when it comes to parking individual fear for the good and ambition of the collective. Though even that credit given to him is handed over to McCullum.”I think he’s taken a lot of his experience of the amount of cricket he’s played and just tried to release all that and then tried to take it off the shoulders of other players,” Stokes said. “And that not only comes from what we speak about on the field and what we try and do but away from the game as well.”Just letting lads go out there and really express themselves in a way that doesn’t add any more pressures on their shoulders. The expectations come from the guys in the dressing room and trying to not let any of the external noises outside our dressing room get into their head because I feel like in the past that might have crept in every now and again.”ESPNcricinfo LtdWins, of course, are the true measure of a successful team. As much as those involved and around this England team say otherwise, the fact they are enjoying themselves is heavily linked to three series win – and a series squared against India carried over from the 2021 summer – in the space of nine months. Even with the focus on attitude, Stokes admits sometimes the numbers go some way to reinforcing the upsurge in form and process.”At the end of the first game in Pakistan, when Colly read out all the records we’d managed to set or rewrite names into the history books, it was very… well, something to look back on and realise how special that game was in particular.”I wouldn’t say we necessarily go out there and try and break these records. I think it’s just something that comes with the way we’ve gone about it, I guess? But no, we don’t sit down before any series and go, ‘these records need to be broken, let’s go out there and try and do it’ because I’ve never been one for setting myself benchmarks of runs and wickets and stuff like that because if you don’t get those then you might feel like you’ve not performed well.”I will look back on my career when I’m finished and look at how many times I’ve affected a game for England to win rather than setting out runs and wickets. It’s something I like to do. But I just think everyone tries to play in a free way which allows them to show the world how good they are.”Related

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Despite the subdued nature of this two-match tour, it could be one reflected on positively for a few reasons. England have not won a series or even a Test here since 2008, and success could enhance the positive vibes heading into a summer featuring a one-off match against Ireland before a bumper yet concentrated Ashes series.There is also the challenge of the pink ball under lights to consider, along with some unpredictable weather due to Cyclone Gabrielle. In many ways, the anomaly of this upcoming fixture compared to what lies ahead over the next year is a blessing. It provides another robust test of the now ingrained in-game values of this team, particularly when you consider England have lost five of their six day-night matches.And yet even with those previous missteps, it is hard to see past an England win over the next fortnight, partly because of weakened opposition, partly because of the belief and application of this group of players who have taken a vow to be spurred on rather than burdened by history. The latter is without question the driving force, one they are assuming from their selfless, everyman leader.