New Zealand tour of England

‘I think Stokes has got a bit of that Warne magic’- England legend compares Ben Stokes to Shane Warne

England asserted dominance over New Zealand in the second Test match of the ongoing series. The brilliant performance by Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes towards the bank end of the final day ensured the home side takes a 2-0 lead in the series. With this, they also bagged in the series with one match yet to be played.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan has now lauded the England team for regaining the dominance in Test Cricket. This was only the second match for the pair of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum, but they already seemed to have built a strong mentality for the team. Vaughan believes the victory will reinstate England as the force to be reckoned with.

“This will send a message around the cricketing world that this England Test side is to be feared and they will go toe-to-toe with Australia next summer. Timid England, scared of failure, has disappeared just two Test matches into the new regime. This team is very much in its infancy but after only eight days of Test cricket, we know the Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes combination have ripped off the shackles. It is the same team, more or less, but they have been freed up and it has totally changed their psychology,” he wrote in The Telegraph.

“It’s been clear from the outset that McCullum—who still holds the record for the fastest century in Test cricket—wants England to be an attacking force once again. It was prior to the first Lord’s Test that England need to be “strong, competitive and playing a watchable style of cricket,” he added.

‘I think Stokes has got a bit of that Warne magic’- Michael Vaughan

Vaughan showered further praise on Stokes, comparing him to the late Shane Warne in his capacity to inspire others around him. “The great Shane Warne gave people around him confidence and made them believe in themselves. He made them feel that bit taller and stronger. I just think Stokes has got a bit of that Warne magic,” he said.

“Don’t forget Ben played the greatest Test innings of all time at Headingley in 2019. So it is no surprise that he thinks his team can win from anywhere. He has done it himself. He will have that inner belief in his own ability which will transcend to his players,” Vaughan wrote.