“The perfect storm” of Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum is allowing England players to “excel and look to get better”, reckons former England quick and TNT Sports expert Steven Finn.
Despite the setback, Finn spoke positively about the difference that having Stokes as captain can do for England.
“Stokes never lets the game drift,” Finn explained.
“I think there are times when on previous tours to India, it becomes a game of attrition, and it means that you just have to settle in and be boring as a seam bowler, just try and hang in there and wait for someone to make a mistake.
“What Ben Stokes does as a captain is force people to make mistakes so the game naturally moves a lot quicker.
“The game is always interesting. I’ve not found myself bored at any stage in the first two Test matches when typically, in India, there will be sessions where not a lot happens.
“I think that keeps you alive as a player as well because you’re always on your toes at the thought of something that may happen.
“It seems to be the perfect storm at the moment between McCullum and Stokes creating that environment for all players to go and excel and look to get better.
“I think the debutants have been really impressive when they’ve come into the team and the fact that they’ve hit the ground running more often than not speaks of the environment that’s been created.
“To have the 41-year-old [James Anderson], to keep him going and keep getting better again is a sign of how good that place is to play.”
Finn, who played 36 Test matches for England, also touched upon whether Stokes could be classed as one of England’s greatest ever players after the remarkable Bazball-fuelled turnaround that has happened under his leadership.
“I think he’s got to be in the conversation,” Finn said.
“It’s very difficult to look beyond Joe Root, the numbers that he’s produced. Alastair Cook from a batting perspective, the numbers that he’s produced. Anderson and [Stuart] Broad naturally but, someone’s ability to influence the game at any moment, I’m not sure there’s been anyone better [than Stokes].”
Finn was also keen to praise Anderson, who was recalled to the squad for the second Test, with the veteran taking five wickets across the two innings.
“He looked 21 again,” Finn said. “He’s flying in the face of what ageing to a fast bowler is. He’s on the cusp of taking 700 Test wickets, which is a huge milestone. It actually looked as though he’d gone away and worked on some stuff.
“His run up looked to me a touch quicker than maybe it was in the summer when he was playing in the Ashes. It looked like he was really attacking the crease and getting through the crease. It just shows his desire to keep improving.
“The fact that he continues to get better with age… That delivery to get rid of Sharma on the morning of day three was just something else, beating the Indian captain on the outside edge and knocking his off stump all the way back to the wicketkeeper.
‘Oh what a bowler!’ – Anderson knocks over Sharma with beautiful delivery
“He was in fine fettle and just looks as hungry as ever to keep taking Test match wickets, which again when you’re only playing one seamer in a few Test matches, you need that spearhead and he was certainly that in that last Test.
“[Keeping himself in shape has made] a massive difference and it can become hard looking after your body when you’re getting on as a fast bowler. I’m 34 years old and I struggle to get out of bed in the mornings with back spasms and other ailments.
“The fact that he is still waking up each day and is enthused to play Test-match cricket at the intensity that he is, I think speaks a lot about him. It also speaks a lot about the environment that Stokes and McCullum have cultivated because if you’re making a fast bowler get up every day and feel like he can influence a Test match at this stage of his career, to enthuse him to keep on going and keep going round the houses, that speaks a lot for the environment that they’ve created as well.
“That combination means that we get to watch James Anderson in international cricket for even longer than any of us thought.”
How to watch India v England Test series on TNT Sports
Coverage of the third Test gets underway at 03:30 UK time on Thursday, February 15.
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TNT Sports has also agreed a deal to show exclusive live coverage of every red-ball and white-ball international series played in India for the next five years.
Cricket fans will not miss a single delivery, boundary or wicket of England’s five-Test tour in India in 2024.
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