England captain’s return from injury fails to deliver, as team grapples with spin challenge and missed opportunities
England captain Ben Stokes is “hurting” after a challenging tour of Pakistan, according to head coach Brendon McCullum, who is committed to supporting his captain through the setback. The series, which saw England lose two out of three Tests, marked a tough return for Stokes following a hamstring injury that sidelined him for the first match—England’s sole victory of the tour. Across the remaining games, Stokes managed an average of just 13.25 with the bat and failed to take a wicket in his 10 overs, a performance that has left both him and the team with much to reflect on.
Stokes, known for his resilience and competitiveness, faces a period of regrouping after what McCullum described as an individually and collectively disappointing series. “He’ll be hurting right now,” McCullum said, emphasising the role of a demanding recovery and return to play on Stokes’ performance. “That injury was quite a significant one. He had to work incredibly hard to get back,” McCullum explained, adding that the mental and physical toll may have impacted Stokes’ usually sharp decision-making. “He’s disappointed, but he’s a tough bugger, and our job now is to wrap our arms around him and help him along the way.”
England’s tour of Pakistan exposed vulnerabilities, particularly in facing spin bowling, with Pakistani spinners Noman Ali and Sajid Khan dominating the English batting line-up. Ali and Khan, both seasoned players, took a staggering 39 out of 40 English wickets in the final two games, repeatedly thwarting England’s attempts to gain a foothold. The conditions and England’s struggles against spin, labelled as “kryptonite to Bazball” by commentator Nasser Hussain, highlighted a critical area for improvement in subcontinental conditions.
Reflecting on the series, McCullum noted that England had missed crucial chances to secure victories in the last two matches, with moments where they were “in front of the game” but failed to sustain pressure. “We had our chances,” McCullum said. “We weren’t able to sustain pressure and transfer it back onto them. When Pakistan got a sniff, they capitalised, and we couldn’t handle that.” According to McCullum, the outcome was a stark reminder of the need for a “killer instinct” in such closely contested games.
While the subcontinental pitches provided unique challenges, McCullum suggested that the experience would serve as a valuable learning opportunity. “The last couple of years, we’ve had 10 Tests in the subcontinent, won five and lost five,” he noted. “But if we’re honest, we had opportunities to put up a better record than that. We’ve had chances to nail down big series, but we weren’t quite good enough.”
Looking ahead, McCullum acknowledged that England’s next chance to tour the subcontinent may not come for some time, but emphasised that the team will continue to face spinning wickets in various conditions. “There will still be times when we’re presented with spinning wickets in other countries,” he said, “and we need to make sure our approach is better.”
McCullum remained optimistic that this defeat would spark deeper thought and self-assessment within the team. As Stokes and England look to regroup, the recent challenges faced on Pakistani soil are likely to shape their strategy in facing spin and handling pressure moments in future competitions. England’s experience underscores both the difficulties and critical learning curves that come with subcontinental tours—a landscape where skill and strategy are tested to their limits.
