"378 would have been scary five weeks ago," says Ben Stokes

The Three Lions couldn't have asked for a better start under the new Test leadership of Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum. After clean sweeping New Zealand in the three-match Test series, who are the reigning world test champions, England thrashed India in the rescheduled fifth Test to level the series 2-2. 

When India set England a 378-run target in the fourth innings of the one-off Test in Edgbaston, no one in their wildest dreams would have imagined that the hosts would complete the chase, that too with great ease.

However, butchering all the impossibilities and imaginations, the Ben Stokes-led side chased down the daunting total in the first session of the fifth day, with both Jonny Bairstow (114) and Joe Root (142) smashing hundreds and forging an unbeaten match-winning 269-run stand for the fourth wicket. It was the highest-ever chase for England in Test cricket, as they had never chased down anything above 360.  

Ben Stokes, who is enjoying his English captaincy stint with back-to-back wins against New Zealand, and India, opened up on the environment in the England camp under his leadership and the coaching of Brendon McCullum, saying the 378-run target against England in the rescheduled 5th Test in Birmingham did not look daunting.   

"When the lads play like this, it makes my job easier. When you have clarity as we have in the dressing room, it makes chasing totals like this easier. 378 would have been scary five weeks ago, but now it's all good," Stokes told Sky Sports. 

Stokes further heaped praises on English openers Alex Lees (56) and Zak Crawley (46) for an impressive start they provided to the hosts. The duo put up a 107-run partnership for the first wicket to allot England a substantial start before skipper Bumrah bowled Crawley, and Lees was engaged in a horrible runout. 

He said, "Jonny and Rooty will get the plaudits, but you set the precedent by what your two openers do and playing the way they did against Bumrah and Shami,"

"We are trying to rewrite how Test cricket is being played, in England in particular. It's not always about top off, it's about taking ten wickets," Stokes concluded. 

England registered their fourth straight Test win in as many matches under their new skipper Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum. Before this, England had only won 2 of their last 17 Test matches under Joe Root.