by Brendon McCullum says there is a bit of ‘maverick and genius’ in Ben Stokes after the England captain led his side to a historic sweep in Pakistan.
England beat the hosts by eight wickets in the final test in Karachi – Stokes (35no) sharing a third-wicket partnership with Ben Duckett (82no) to see the visitors home – as they became first team to win 3-0 in Pakistan.
McCullum, who with Stokes ushered in a new era of Test cricket since taking over as head coach, praised his captain after a ninth win in 10 Tests followed by a series of a victory in 17 before their nominations.
McCullum said sky sports: “The skipper never lets the game drift, he always has something and the guys follow him. It’s quite easy when you look in the coach’s box.
“We’ve seen what he does on the pitch. There’s maverick and genius in a lot of things. He has an insatiable appetite to keep pushing the game forward, which is super impressive.
“For me it’s the management of the man, the consistency of the message, the sheer passion and drive to make a significant difference in Test cricket and a significant difference in English cricket.
“I feel lucky to have taken on this job when Stokesy is in charge. It’s just going to get better and better, which is pretty scary.”
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All the highlights from Day 4 of the Third Test in Karachi as England won a historic 3-0 series sweep in Pakistan
“I b****r everything…it’s easy work!”
McCullum played down his own impact on the team, adding: “This team is very much like Stokesy. He wants the guys to come out and play with as much freedom as possible.
“He wants to do something big and wants to have a real impact, not just on the game, but on other people’s careers.
“He identified the removal of that pressure and the opportunity to bring out talent and skill. Skill and talent are not an issue when it comes to the English cricket team.
“All we’re trying to do is stay consistent with the message, put a smile on your face and encourage guys to come out and let their talent come out.
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Stokes digests historic 3-0 sweep and hails fearless attitude of his team, teenage spinner Rehan Ahmed and head coach Brendon McCullum
“I b****r everything. I just make sure guys stay consistent with their own beliefs.
“They all want to be the best version of themselves, they all want to be the best cricketer they can be and play on a winning team and make a difference in the game around the world.
“When you have all of that, you really have to make sure the guys are on task every once in a while and try to make sure that if things go down a slightly negative path at some point, you remind them of who we are. .
“It’s a really easy job and I’m having fun. I couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity.
McCullum ‘proud’ of England
“I am incredibly proud [of the team]. You know you are going to have to work hard in Pakistan and you will be tested in different ways. We have been tested off the field and in the field.
“They stuck together and kept pushing the game and the mantra of this team forward. There were defining moments, where we could have easily lost games, but the guys were able to find ways to win.
You watch every training session, he (Brendon McCullum) walks around and talks to every player. Check how they’re doing, see if their mindset is good, see if they’re taking options that fit the team mantra. He is an incredible manager.
“The way Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett started [in Rawalpindi], set a marker for this team and how brave they want to be. It was a huge day for us, and it allowed us to force a result in this match.
“It’s one thing to score quickly and put teams under pressure with the bat, but you have to be able to get teams out. Every time we have the ball in hand, it’s about trying to take If you’re going to race, you’re going for the races, but we’ll keep that spirit and continue the races later.
“Once you have that mindset, you free yourself and it allows you to look at things with a positive mantra.”
McCullum: Ahmed is not the finished product
England also made some bold selections, including awarding 18-year-old Rehan Ahmed a first game in Karachi.
The Leicestershire all-rounder became the youngest man to make a Test appearance for England and then the youngest of any country to make a Test five on his debut.
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Check out each of Ahmed’s wickets as the England teenager became the youngest man to take five wickets on his Test debut
McCullum said the England players were emotional after Ahmed received his cap from Nasser Hussain.
“There were a few tears after that. Even after a few days, the boys are still talking about how amazing that moment was,” McCullum added.
“You never take him for granted. Rehan is an amazing story. He loves the game, his family loves the game. He has tremendous talent and ability.
“We’re going to give him time to develop at his own pace and give him the opportunities. He couldn’t have been more impressive so far.
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England leg batsman Rehan Ahmed, 18, said his five wickets on his debut against Pakistan was ‘a dream come true’
“He’s not close to the finished product, but we’re going to cultivate him over the next few years to get him to where he wants to go, to try and get him playing as much cricket as possible in the shortest possible time.
“We will eventually benefit from it. It’s up to us to ensure that when he’s with us he comes with the same positivity and over time his skill level will continue to increase. Don’t rush him. not.”
