Questions are being asked of England at the mid-point of the Ben Stokes-Brendon McCullum era, and now they must evolve to achieve the perfect finale, says Stephan Shemilt.
England have lost only one series under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum, but they have won only four of their past 12 TestsYou know the kind. When Mufasa dies in the Lion King, Ron leaving Harry and Hermione in the Deathly Hallows, Darth Vader striking down Obi-Wan Kenobi.
It is right to say England have improved out of sight from the team that won only one Test in 17 before Stokes and McCullum took over, but that cannot keep being used as the barometer. Manchester City's excuse for not winning the Premier League would not be "we used to be in the third tier". Any criticism of England's Bazball batting in India is a bit of a red herring. This was their slowest scoring series under Stokes and McCullum. The problem is that when it was bad, it was horrid.
England's batting does not need and will not undergo major surgery. Of the top six that ended this series, the only change for the first Test against West Indies in July will be Harry Brook slotting in at number five, even if Pope needs a strong summer to cement his positions as number three and vice-captain.
Fast bowling is the area of the England team that is likely to change most dramatically in the latter part of the Stokes-McCullum reign. James Anderson is 41, Chris Woakes 35, Mark Wood 34 and Stuart Broad retired. Heir-apparent Ollie Robinson is 30 and regressing. Gus Atkinson, Josh Tongue and Matthew Potts are due more chances.
West Indies and Sri Lanka should be swept aside in the summer. Next winter they return to Pakistan, where they won 3-0 18 months ago, and New Zealand, who they would have beaten 2-0 last year had it not been for enforcing the follow-on in Wellington.Stokes, McCullum and the entire England team need to think hard about how they want this era to be remembered. One breathtaking summer does not revolutionise Test cricket. Winning does.
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