By the standards of this wildly entertaining England side, their latest victory over India was strangely subdued – yet no less remarkable. A match England might easily have lost became yet another stunning fourth-innings triumph, the kind of feat they’ve made unexpectedly familiar under Ben Stokes.
Consider the chaos that preceded it: India amassed five centuries, dropped several catches, and still seemed firmly in control. England’s frontline bowlers were unremarkable Chris Woakes took only one wicket, Josh Tongue dismissed just one top-six batter (who’d already scored a century), and Shoaib Bashir leaked nearly 200 runs. Even so, England, having conceded nearly 500 after putting India in, emerged victorious. And the No 11 didn’t even need to pad up.
Historically, England have rarely chased over 300 to win Tests only three times in 142 years. But in the last six years alone, they’ve done it three more times: once thanks to Stokes’ own heroics in 2019, and now twice under his leadership. What makes this win special is not just the scale of the chase, but the mentality behind it. Past teams might have aimed for a draw; this one never even considered it.
On the eve of the final day, the thought of playing for a draw was reportedly met with disdain in England’s dressing room. The belief was total, the approach unflinching. As play resumed under overcast skies and persistent drizzle, the openers batted with such serenity it felt dreamlike more like a Scandinavian slow-TV feed than the tense finale of a Test match. Even after Shardul Thakur took two quick wickets post-lunch, there was no panic. England needed 118 more, and had the depth to get there.
The rest of the innings played out with quiet inevitability. When Jamie Smith thumped the winning runs over midwicket, the earlier missteps dropped catches, reverse sweeps gone wrong, or rash second-six attempts faded into irrelevance.
Still, critics will remain. English cricket has always attracted naysayers, and many will still question the risks taken or wonder aloud about defensive alternatives. But there’s evolution here a matured, measured brand of aggression, rather than blind bravado. Yes, there’s still flair, but there’s also resilience and a growing understanding of when to adapt.
In seven weeks, the verdict on this India series will be clearer. In seven months, the Ashes will provide a sterner test. But for now, as Stokes enters the defining stretch of his captaincy, it’s worth appreciating a team that is both thrilling and, increasingly, successful.
