England's selection issues in a defining year for Stokes

England’s busiest year of Test cricket finished with a bang. Just not the type they were after.

- CAMERON PONSONBY

A 423-run defeat to New Zealand was England's third-heaviest loss in Test cricket history. But somehow, only their second-heaviest loss of the year after a 434-run reverse against India in February.

This is how his team plays. Maximum risk. Maximum reward. When you bat at a million miles an hour to give yourself as much time as possible to take 20 wickets, the reverse is you also give the opposition more time to rack up the runs if you’ve failed with the bat yourself. England got bundled for 143 in 35 overs in Hamilton. Which gave the Black Caps as much time as they wanted to bat on and on and on. The result was New Zealand were able to set England a notional 658 to win. The highest successful chase in Test history is 418.

And when it all comes out in the wash, after 17 Tests in 2024, England have won nine and lost eight. The England men’s Test cricket team. Achieving mediocrity in style.

So with a blockbuster 2025 ahead, featuring a home series against India and a trip down under for the Ashes, is this team better than it was 12 months ago and what questions do they have to answer before India arrive in June?

To the first point. Yes. Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes have successfully regenerated this side which now, as a squad rather than necessarily any one starting XI, is deeper and stronger.

“I think so,” McCullum answered when quizzed if he felt England were better placed than they were back in January, namechecking the emergence of Brydon Carse, Gus Atkinson, Jacob Bethell and Jamie Smith in the process.