"The honeymoon period is on and they are absolutely rocking" - Aakash Chopra on England's swashbuckling chase in 2nd Test vs New Zealand
Aakash Chopra has lauded England for starting Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum's stints as Test captain and head coach respectively on a spectacular note.
Stokes and McCullum were appointed at the helm of England's Test side ahead of the ongoing three-match series against New Zealand. The duo started their tenure in brilliant fashion, with the hosts chasing down a 277-run target in the first game and then achieving a 299-run fourth-innings target in just 50 overs in the second Test.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra had the following to say about England's achievement:
"England has actually entered a new era in the captaincy of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum as coach. The start has been extremely good. The honeymoon period is on and they are absolutely rocking."
The former Indian batter highlighted that the target seemed to be beyond England's reach at the start of their innings in the second Test. Aakash Chopra explained:
"The game was almost petering out towards a draw or New Zealand was the likely winner because the runs are more and overs are less, they had to chase 299 runs in a minimum of 72 overs. The bowling team will win if anyone wins else it will end in a draw. The batting team winning seemed almost impossible."
England needed 160 runs in a minimum of 38 overs after tea on the final day. Jonny Bairstow and Stokes launched a brutal attack on the Kiwi bowlers post the interval as they achieved the target in just 16 overs.
"Jonny Bairstow was absolutely sensational" - Aakash Chopra
Aakash Chopra was particularly appreciative of the belligerent knock played by Jonny Bairstow. He elaborated:
"Jonny Bairstow was absolutely sensational, there was a rain of fours and sixes in the run chase. He did not have any performance either in the first Test or in the first innings here, but second innings - wow, match-winning hundred in the fourth innings."
Jonny Bairstow, an innings of a lifetime, one of the best counter-attacking 4th innings you will ever see.Well done England , Test Cricket is Best Cricket. #ENGvNZ https://t.co/BV5dVzbIqk
The reputed commentator also pointed out that Stokes has placed England's win in the second Test on a high pedestal. Aakash Chopra observed:
"New Zealand looked alright but it didn't work out in the end. England have won the series here 2-0, they have already got an absolutely incredible lead in this series. Ben Stokes has said that the Headingley Test they won, he had batted himself there, or the World Cup they won, it is a bigger win than that."
The win in the Trent Bridge Test has given England an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. They will hope to win the final game as well to head into the upcoming Test against Team India on a high.