The tourists eased to a 267-run win in their day/night first Test against New Zealand, a tenth victory in 11 games since Stokes took over from Joe Root last year.
James Anderson applied the finishing touches to a fine collective display, claiming the last four wickets as the Black Caps were toppled for 126 in the final innings at Mount Maunganui.
It was another triumph for Stokes’ transformational leadership, which has flourished fast in partnership with head coach Brendon McCullum. His punchy declaration in the 59th over of the match set in motion a chain of events that left his side controlling the tempo of the Test and twice getting the best of the bowler-friendly ‘twilight’ period despite losing the toss.
Stokes is now the joint-fastest skipper to reach double figures in terms of Test wins, getting there in 12 attempts. A defeat by the West Indies while deputising for Root in 2020 is the only thing preventing him from taking the honours outright from Australian Lindsay Hassett, who last led his country in 1953.
Among Englishmen he is out on his own, Michael Vaughan enjoying the previous best run with ten from 16, but Stokes is more than happy to share the credit. ‘As much as it is me captaining the side, the team obviously have to take a lot of credit for that, even more than myself,’ he said.
‘I can only go out there and say “can we try this?”. They say yes, but they’ve then got to execute everything. Not only have I got an unbelievable bowling attack to be able to captain, but I’ve also got a seriously skilled and very brave batting line-up to watch. They’ve got to take a lot of credit for the sort of record I have as a captain.
‘When I took over, I thought it would be a good opportunity for a slightly bigger change to the way the team thinks about playing Tests. But expectations just keep being blown out of the water by the performances, not only that the team are putting in but also certain individuals keep putting in over the last ten to 11 months.’
While most of Stokes’ methods involve a new spin on the age-old format, a couple of his most trusted performers have been around for the best part of two decades.
Anderson and Stuart Broad both excelled at the Bay Oval, with the latter producing the defining spell of the match under floodlights on night three and his partner finishing the job the next day. Over the course of the week they also moved past Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne as the most prolific partnership in Test history, with a running total of 1,009 scalps.
‘I think having James Anderson and Stuart Broad in the side makes captaincy a lot easier. You just throw them the ball and away they go,’ Stokes said.
‘They’re setting a great example not only for us in the dressing room but for anybody who wants to have a long career in professional sport.’
■ 15 a Test match in New Zealand, a run ended at Mount Maunganui with a triumph which was also their first ever victory in a day/night Test overseas
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