Left Arm Around

“We have so much belief in our ability, that it filters off to the people who support us.

“Two or three years ago, if that was the task we had, I don’t think many people would have thought we had a chance.”

Those were the words of England captain Ben Stokes following his side’s 106-run defeat in the second Test against India in Visakhapatnam last week.

Despite failing in their record-breaking pursuit of 399, in what would have been the highest successful chase in a fourth-innings in India, it’s clear that the tourists are a team brimming with confidence and a genuine belief they can inflict a series defeat on their fierce rivals.

The hosts have not lost a home series since England’s victorious campaign of 2012, but England’s results under the leadership of Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum is proof they provide a genuine threat to that stellar record.

Since Stokes’ appointment as captain in April 2022, they have won 14 of the last 19 tests, while successfully chasing targets in excess of 250 five times over that period.

Though they’ll be frustrated at the manner of certain dismissals and the fact they failed to capitalise on a slightly depleted Indian XI, the message remains the same.

“Obviously it’s disappointing to lose, we always want to come out here and win, but the way we approached it is exactly what we’re looking for, Stokes said.

“Everyone says, ‘What is Bazball?’ It’s our mentality, our way of playing. The fact you can never look out on the field and think we are behind in the game, even if we are.”

Players such as Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow have struggled for form and the right tempo thus far, but England will be buoyed by the recent success of Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope, two key figures who have faced strong criticism and enjoyed mixed international careers.

Kent opener Crawley struck 76 and 73 in Visakhapatnam, while Pope, 26, struck 196 in Hyderabad in an extraordinary knock that many people labelled ‘one of the best’ on Indian shores.

The spin department also seemed to be lacking, yet an inexperienced trio of Tom Hartley, Rehan Ahmed and Shoaib Bashir, who had three caps between them coming into the Vizag Test, have handled themselves admirably and given England hope they can produce a result on any pitch.

KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja should be back and firing for the hosts, but the confirmed news of Virat Kohli being ruled out of the fourth and fifth Tests provides an enormous boost for England.

No matter what happens, you can be sure of one thing.

Under Stokes and McCullum, the tourists will refuse to take a backward step.

The third Test in Rajkot promises to be an intriguing one…