It’s time to recreate that magic mindset
The change in approach brought about by Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum is like nothing we have ever seen in england’s Test history — and they are going to have to reinforce all their messaging in this summer of all summers. That starts today with Ireland, who have caused england problems before — beating them at the 2011 World Cup in Bangalore and again over the winter in the T20 version at Melbourne. And don’t forget that last time they played a Test at Lord’s, they skittled england for 85.
They will be aiming for another upset now and england will have to be switched on from the start. You can never treat a Test match as a warm-up, no matter what lies ahead. Clearly england’s summer will be judged on how they get on in the Ashes, though, and the biggest challenge for Stokes and McCullum will be to keep playing as if it doesn’t really matter, even though they know deep down that it does.
The mind games they have played on themselves during Stokes’s 12 Bazball Tests so far have been remarkable. It goes back to what Joe Root has said about remembering why you play the game, almost to rediscover the kid within you who fell in love with cricket all those years ago. Stokes has to try to keep his team in that headspace, even if they are 20 for three or whatever in a crucial Ashes game. It’s been crucial to their success and it’s why the messaging they convey to the team this week against Ireland is so important.
It’s a chance to re-group, yes. But also to remind themselves of what has worked so well so far. The decision to go with Jonny Bairstow ahead of Ben Foakes makes perfect sense in that respect. I feel for Foakes, who is one of the best keepers in the world and has done nothing wrong. But Bairstow is the guy who got things going last summer with that chase on the last afternoon at Trent Bridge against New Zealand and there is no question he had to play. his challenge may come behind the stumps. Not because he isn’t a fine keeper — he is. But his body will still be feeling its way back into the rigours of a Test match. he knows that if he misses a tough leg-side take people will be saying Foakes would have caught that — even though Foakes has dropped catches too.
It’s also interesting that Josh Tongue has got the nod over Chris Woakes. Gone are the days when Test caps are handed out so that a captain can decide if they like the look of a bloke. They have clearly gone with Tongue because they think he is the type of cricketer they want in their side — fast and aggressive.
For more than anyone, it’s a big game for Zak Crawley at the top of the order. I know he has said he is shutting out a lot of the noise and has taken himself off social media, but a big innings against Ireland — not just 20 or 30 — will silence some of the doubters and buy him some time ahead of the Ashes. Lancashire’s Keaton Jennings is out with hamstring trouble at the moment, but I’ve liked the way he has gone about his game recently.
If Crawley’s place does come under scrutiny as the summer progresses, Jennings should be in the mix.
But that’s for later on. For now, it’s about recreating the mindset that has threatened to change the way Test cricket is played. If Stokes and McCullum can succeed in that, we could be in for one hell of a summer.