Stokes is ecstatic with England’s 3-0 win in Pakistan because he no longer fears failure.
Ben Stokes believes that removing the fear of failure was the driving force behind England’s stunning turnaround in Test cricket and they’re becoming the first team in history to sweep a series in Pakistan 3-0.
On the fourth morning in Karachi, a victory by eight wickets was achieved, bringing the number of victories under Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum to nine from ten Tests.
Appropriately, the skipper was in the middle as Ben Duckett hit the winning boundary to complete a 167-run target that was blown away in 28.1 overs.
Stokes attempted the 108th six of his Test career in an attempt to match McCullum’s total from his playing days.
The fact that he was unable to clear the rope during the 40 minutes of play, coupled with a record series run rate of 5.5, exemplified a side unburdened by consequence.
Stokes, who was not out on 35, and Duckett, who was unbeaten on 82, said, “It won’t hit us until we return home or in the new year, but we know what we’ve accomplished is very unique. To win here by a score of 3-0 will be a source of great pride.
“I believe that shedding our fear of failure is the reason for our success. When this responsibility is removed from individuals and the team, players excel and reveal more of themselves.
“No one is concerned about escaping. You don’t want to leave your comfort zone, but without the fear of failure, you are less hesitant and make better decisions.
“It is an incredible time to be in this locker room and to play for England. I’m simply urging everyone to show up every day and take pleasure in their work. It is easier to accomplish while we are currently winning. The fact that Jimmy Anderson smiled is significant in and of itself.”
The three resounding victories in Rawalpindi, Multan, and Karachi occurred despite a virus circulating the squad’s whole tour, with Stokes emphasizing that this specific challenge “demonstrates how we get on with things.”
It was also a tour during which new stars emerged. The 23-year-old Harry Brook concluded his first away Test trip as a player of the match and the series after his third century in Karachi, while the 18-year-old leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed astonished everyone with seven wickets on debut and his first five-wicket haul.
Stokes said of Ahmed, “It brings you back to your childhood. Yesterday afternoon, he bowled us to victory with his leg spin, demonstrating that leg spinners are a game-changing asset.
“The fact that he possesses the talent he does at the age of 18 – and he’s not even a finished product – is incredibly thrilling. Let him advance and do not hold him back; we have something worthwhile in our possession.”
The England captain responded to Brook’s statement that he wanted to give the selectors a headache by saying, “Yeah, thanks Brooky for the headache. How he has played the game, his aggressiveness, the number of runs he has scored (468), and the strike rate at which he has scored runs (93%) have all been astonishing to observe. He is an extremely perceptive man.”
The extent of England’s recovery from last winter and the terrible run of one win in 17 Tests has resulted in Stokes being nominated for the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year and given rise to enormous optimism that England may be able to regain the Ashes at home next year.
Stokes said he did not want to look too far ahead given England’s February tour of New Zealand, but he told: “I certainly have my eye on the Ashes and have tiny things in the back of my mind about that.
“We will continue to improve as a team, spend more time as a unit, and have fun; we will play cricket with a grin on our faces and win as many games as possible.”
