"I'm very lucky to be able to captain this team at the moment" - Ben Stokes hails England after crushing win over New Zealand
England captain Ben Stokes believes that the players around him have made his job easier and feels blessed to lead the side. The seam-bowling all-rounder reckons that England are spoilt for choices ahead of the Ashes.
England registered a 267-run win over New Zealand on Day 4 of the first Test of the two-match series at Mount Maunganui on Sunday, February 19. The tourists bowled the Kiwis out for 127 as James Anderson and Stuart Broad took four wickets each in a sensational display of swing bowling.
Speaking to BBC Sport, Stokes reflected that his captaincy has proved fruitful due to his teammates and that they deserve the maximum amount of credit.
"I'm very lucky to be able to captain this team at the moment. When you look at captaincy records, it's only a small part of it. It's not only my captaincy and ideas that are allowing us to play this way, you also have to have the players fully behind you, to follow you out there with what you want to do."
He added:
"I've got off to a great start with my captaincy, but most of that has got to go down to the players. I don't like to look too far ahead, but we'll have a good crop of players to choose from in the Ashes."
The Durham all-rounder has lost only one Test since taking charge and has now registered 10 victories in the last 11 matches, including a 3-0 sweep in Pakistan.
"I think he will go on to be a global superstar" - Ben Stokes on Harry Brook
Stokes also heaped praise on Harry Brook following his magnificent form of late. He also lauded the courage of the England batters for countering everything the opposition threw at them. As quoted by Sky Sports, he stated:
"Brooky is carrying on from his amazing series in Pakistan. He is a fantastic talent. I think he will go on to be a global superstar. Not only have I got an unbelievable bowling attack, we've also got a seriously skilled and very brave batting line-up."
Stokes added:
"The most pleasing thing was that whatever New Zealand threw at us with the ball we managed to react. Then when you look at the bowling attack we have got with the pink ball under the lights, we executed everything we wanted."
The second Test against New Zealand starts on February 24 in Wellington.