England ahead of schedule... but rebuild faces huge test in Pakistan

Skipper Stokes is keen to extend success overseas with aggressive approach, writes Will Macpherson

ROB KEY took over as England's managing director of men's cricket on Easter Sunday. By then, he knew that Ben Stokes would be his captain and that he wanted Brendon McCullum as his Test coach.

Those were exciting, ambitious appointments that suggested a project.

But Key said yesterday that so low were England at that point - with one win in 17 matches that he considered "anything that happened this year was a bonus. We just wanted to try to win a couple of games and see what happens from there".

This summer, then, England's best statistically - with six wins out of seven - since 2004, has been a resounding success. There is a long way to go and they have had their share of luck, perhaps most of all against New Zealand, but, at one time or another, they have truly fazed their opponents into making simple errors. They have only batted first once (against South Africa at Lord's), and it was the one game they lost, although it was a massive toss to lose. They are still seventh in the World Test Championship table.

But Stokes, particularly, has exceeded all expectations as a speaker and a statesman, with positivity coursing through his every action. The secret, really, has been simplicity. Straightforward selection: the only player dropped all summer, Matt Potts, was to accommodate the fit-again Ollie Robinson, and even that could have happened a game earlier than it did.