Ben Stokes may regret his attacking approach to the Ashes after what England great David Gower sees as a missed opportunity.

England have transformed their red-ball fortunes under captain Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum, winning 13 of their 18 Tests after embracing a free-flowing, attacking mentality in the longest format.

An Ashes series victory proved a challenge too great, though, with England recovering from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 – a result that saw Australia retain the urn.

Stokes' tactics have come into question, with England's insistence on attacking sometimes their downfall, and Gower believes the all-rounder may look back with slight regret.

Gower told Stats Perform: "Stokes says that he doesn't want to worry about hindsight, which doesn't win you any games and all the rest of it.

"But there will be thoughts along those lines, because when they look at it next year, it says 2-2 and you were part of that team that could have regained The Ashes.

"Stokes could have been At The Oval, with that little urn in his hand saying I have regained the Ashes or you better say 'we' with this team ethic.

"That would be there again for all to see for the rest of history. But I'm afraid it’s not quite the case."

While Gower suggested Stokes may reconsider his plans at a future date, the former England captain still hailed the new approach against the red ball.

He added: "My view is a mixture of old and new. I love the new approach, especially the culture that Stokes and McCullum have bred in the team since that partnership came together last year.

"I'd imagine that playing in that dressing room must be an enormous pleasure because it takes the pressure off a bad day, takes the pressure off failure, and it encourages people to look ahead.

"The one thing that could have made this series different is being slightly more match aware, slightly smarter at key moments.

"England could have made more runs in the second innings at Edgbaston, put themselves further ahead, played Australia a little bit further out of the game made it harder for them to win the game. In the end, Australia win the game.

"England could have batted like Stokes did at Lord's when the bouncer barrage was coming, Stokes took the blows to the body, and others played shots that got them out.

"There was a collapse from 180 for none, as it were, suddenly were 200 for plenty. And things like that change games in Test cricket.

"Five-day cricket is all about sustaining the effort and the quality throughout, but a bad hour or a bad session can cost you games and that's what happened at Lord's."

A high-quality Ashes series was likely only robbed of a winner due to the rain at Old Trafford, where the fourth Test was washed out on the weekend with England in the ascendancy.

Australia return Down Under with the urn but Gower believes – despite the thrilling encounters – both sides may look back with some sense of a missed opportunity.

He continued: "I think for both teams, at the end of the series, Australia looked a bit muted, because although they retained the Ashes, they struggled in the last three games. 

"Australia would have rued the fact they let things slide a little bit, at the same time I'd give all the credit to England, for the way they played their cricket to put the pressure back on Australia. 

"It was interesting to watch the Australians, they had a very brief celebration in front of the crowd at The Oval but it wasn't sort of leaping up and down saying we've held the Ashes.

"You don't do laps of honour when you've drawn a series, you do laps of honour at the MCG when you have won The Ashes Down Under. Graeme Swann and the sprinkler and all the rest of it.

"It was probably almost a feeling of, actually, we've put everything on the field. They put everything into that series, both sides.

"At the end of it, not so much a relief but a sort of acknowledgement, that 2-2 is probably fair. You sit down and you feel relief, it's a shame that it's all over.

"People would have loved to see this thing, carry on almost you play 10 Tests, keep up the intensity, keep up the rivalry. But there's also a sort of sense of well, it's over now.

"You cast your mind back to all the ups and downs of six, seven weeks of high-pressure cricket."

Ben Stokes' development to become an "extraordinary leader" for England's Test side was not something David Gower could have foreseen previously.

Brendon McCullum and Stokes have formed a fearsome duo as England's captain and coach combination of their red-ball side, winning 13 of 18 Tests since joining together.

A stark upturn in fortunes for England's previously flailing side in the longest format of cricket has been led by Stokes and McCullum's insistence to play a free-flowing, attacking style against the red ball.

A 2-2 series draw in the most recent Ashes series further served to grow Stokes' stature as a captain, and former England skipper Gower acknowledged he could not have predicted this development before.

"I think Ben Stokes has proven himself to be an extraordinary leader of a cricket team and men," Gower told Stats Perform. 

"There is a lot about him that knowing him six or seven years ago, I just wouldn't have believed possible. But life has taught him all sorts of lessons.

"First of all, he has a great instinct for the game and a great instinct for pushing a game ahead to win. He loves winning and doesn't like losing, so will hurt for the ones they've lost, but hates drawing even more.

"That's an extraordinary attitude to have, because so many new captains, including his predecessor, Joe Root, would have taken a very different attitude to the possibility of a draw.

"He's created this culture along with McCullum, but he's got the instinct for the game."

Australia retained the Ashes after a 2-2 away series draw, having won the previous edition Down Under, after racing into a 2-0 lead in England with victories at Edgbaston and Lord's.

A first-innings declaration in the first Test at Edgbaston by Stokes, with Root on an unbeaten century and set to punish the toiling Australian bowlers, caused some questions.

Yet Gower refused to criticise Stokes for his decision to again try and push the red-ball outing towards a result.

He added: "The declaration at Edgbaston was derided by some and there's a fair case to argue there but was an interesting one, because [Stuart] Broad against [David] Warner was a tasty morsel at the start of an Ashes series.

"It could have laid down on marker but it didn't, but there you go, it's worth a go. But he has empathy for his players, he seems to understand his players.

"Good captains need to be on duty all the time. You've got decisions to make all the time. There will be mistakes, and there'll be ones you might revise with time to think about it, but you've got to go with your gut.

"Got to go with your instinct, and you've got to take people with you. And that is clearly evident with Stokes and McCullum, but Stokes as captain has taken that team with him all the way through."

While Stokes has largely been heralded for his influence as captain, Australian counterpart Pat Cummins came under scrutiny for a somewhat defensive plan to stem the flow of England's attacking output.

"You've got two very different teams, the makeup of the two teams is very, very different," Gower continued. "So Cummins' options were different.

"Cummins has one of the best attacks in the world at his disposal, and he is the leader of that attack. He also had a very good man, dare I say, in Steve Smith as his vice-captain.

"You need someone else besides you, who can advise and point things out and be in your ear to help you along.

"Both [captains] at various stages lead from the front. Stokes' 150 at Lord's was just awesome to watch. Cummins, at Birmingham with the bat, those crucial runs at the end. 

"He saw it through, lead from the front himself."

Gower also suggested the different options at the captain's disposal somewhat dictated their respective plans.

"The difference is England have six or seven batsmen who can force the pace," he said. "So they were always going to play that way, trust their instincts and accept the mistakes that come along with taking risks.

"Australia are always going to have to play at a different pace to England. That's why the 2-2 result at the end proves that there are various ways to skin a cat, and you can win games by being good at what you do. 

"Cummins and Stokes had different options. That's why in the end, I think it's so fascinating to see it all finish up with the series all square."

Ben Stokes has promised to continue England's aggressive and attacking style and eased concerns over his own fitness ahead of the Ashes this summer. 

Stokes, who succeeded Joe Root to become England's Test captain last year, has implemented an aggressive approach and has led the side to 10 wins out of 12 since taking charge.

England have not won an Ashes series against Australia since 2015, but their skipper has promised not to deviate from this new style when they face the top-ranked Test side. 

"I'm not going to change anything just because it's the Ashes," Stokes told Sky Sports.

"I'm not going to change for anything or any situation, because then I'm not being true to myself and what I've done over the last year. 

"Every player knows the Ashes is where everything ramps up a bit – pressure, exposure, all kinds of stuff – but we'll just keep sticking to what we do.

"If you plan for negativity, it is inevitable it is going to happen." 

English pitches have notoriously been prepared to suit their swing bowlers, but the England captain revealed he has now requested flatter pitches to help benefit their swashbuckling batting approach and abundance of fast-bowling talent. 

"We want fast, flat wickets. We want to go out there and score quickly," he said. "I'm smiling because I'm looking forward to it. 

"I think having the option to have someone who can bowl above 90 miles per hour is what any captain wants.

"Hold me to it. Every game I play this summer will be to produce a result."

Stokes is close to knowing his XI for the first Test and has been boosted by his own fitness after concerns about his knee after England's Test series in New Zealand.

The all-rounder bowled himself sparingly in that series and has not played for Chennai Super Kings in their last two IPL games but said he is now bowling "pain-free" for the first time in over a year. 

"I've worked so hard over the last month, five weeks, to get where I am now," he said.

"That's down to a lot of hard work I've done – medically, in the gym, and I obviously had a bit of help with some cortisone injections.

"The main priority for me is making sure that I can fulfil my role as fourth seamer in the Ashes.

"I've had some good conversations with the people who are employed to look after us, body-wise. I said I'll be doing everything I can whilst I'm in India to make sure that when we get to the Ashes, I'll give myself the best opportunity to do my role."

The Ashes is coming up this year, and so too is the Cricket World Cup.

But the roaring success of the Indian Premier League means its 16th season is anticipated on a similar level to those totemic events on the cricket calendar.

And why not? There is no greater franchise competition in cricket, featuring star names from across the globe playing to vast crowds and huge television audiences.

A measure of the boom in IPL popularity came when its broadcast rights were sold in the wake of last year's tournament, with five-year deals bringing in 48,390.5 crore (£4.8billion), testament to the tournament's enormous appeal.

Among leagues worldwide, only the NFL is said to have bigger per-game TV deals, with the spectacle of T20 cricket becoming a big winner with spectators, sponsors, broadcasters and advertisers.

Heading into the 2023 season, which begins on Friday with an eye-catching tussle between defending champions Gujarat Titans and 2021 winners Chennai Super Kings, Stats Perform has identified potential key storylines for the new campaign.

How can Buttler follow his MVP season?

Jos Buttler had a staggering campaign last time out for Rajasthan Royals, hitting 863 runs in 17 innings at an average of 57.53, with four centuries to his name. That was as many centuries as everyone else in the IPL combined managed to score.

He finished 247 runs ahead of KL Rahul, who was second on the batting list. Buttler cracked 83 fours and 45 sixes, and he has since been appointed England's white-ball captain.

This is a huge year for Buttler, with England defending their title at the World Cup, and all eyes will be on the 32-year-old to see how he contributes for the Royals.

Chris Gayle, in 2011 and 2012, is the only batter to have finished as top scorer in consecutive IPL seasons.

This is a league that brings explosive moments, and Australian bowler Pat Cummins surprisingly managed the fastest fifty with the bat last year, achieving the feat from 14 balls for Kolkata Knight Riders against Mumbai Indians.

With the ball, Buttler's Rajasthan team-mate Yuzvendra Chahal took a league-leading 27 wickets, at an average of 19.51 and with a 7.75 economy rate. He was the only bowler to take a hat-trick in the 2022 IPL, doing so against KKR.

The economy rate king was two-time former MVP Sunil Narine, who gave up an average of 5.57 runs in his 56 overs, albeit taking just a modest nine wickets.

CSK seek immediate statement win

Gujarat were champions in their debut season last time around, while defending champions Chennai finished a miserable ninth out of 10 teams.

This time CSK are determined to start strongly and banish memories of 2022, and one way or another it promises to be a memorable campaign.

It appears likely to be MS Dhoni's final IPL campaign, with the 41-year-old giant of the game and former India captain reportedly considering whether to call time on his illustrious playing career.

Dhoni would want to go out on a high, and in the hope of building a winning team CSK have taken an expensive plunge by bringing in England Test captain Ben Stokes.

There are suggestions Stokes could inherit Dhoni's talisman status at CSK, although there has been an early blow with the all-rounder not expected to bowl in the early stages of the tournament due to concern over his left knee.

CSK suffered another setback to their bowling department when they lost New Zealand fast bowler Kyle Jamieson to a back injury, replacing him with South Africa paceman Sisanda Magala.

Could pulling the Short straw work out well for Punjab Kings?

Jonny Bairstow would have been lining up for Punjab Kings, but a freak golf course injury continues to keep the England wicketkeeper-batter out of action.

In his place comes Australian Matthew Short, who has yet to play international cricket or feature in the IPL, but the 27-year-old is experiencing quite a moment in his career.

Short was player of the tournament in Australia's Big Bash League, the domestic T20 competition, when he scored 458 runs for Adelaide Strikers and became just the third player in 12 seasons to hit 400 runs and take 10 wickets in a single season.

He will fancy stepping up to IPL level and continuing his rich run of form, and joins a franchise that has seen significant change since finishing sixth last year. Punjab have a new captain and new coach, with Shikhar Dhawan and Trevor Bayliss replacing Mayank Agarwal and Anil Kumble.

PBKS will hope Short makes a long-lasting impact, while they are trusting a huge investment in Sam Curran pays off after making the England all-rounder the most expensive player in IPL history, landing him in the draft for 18.5 Cr (£1.85million).

Changes across the board

A year is a long time in the IPL, and there have been a host of new appointments.

Australian veteran and IPL master blaster David Warner has taken over as captain of Delhi Capitals due to Rishabh Pant being ruled out while he recovers from the major car accident he experienced in December.

Brendon McCullum's move to coach England means Kolkata needed a new man in charge, and they have brought in Chandrakant Pandit, while Brian Lara has taken over from Tom Moody with Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Mark Boucher will pull the strings with Mumbai Indians after Mahela Jayawardene became global head of performance.

Ben Stokes is not risking fitness for this year's Ashes series by playing in the Indian Premier League, insists England head coach Brendon McCullum.

England's Test captain has signed for Chennai Super Kings with the IPL season starting on March 31, ahead of the Ashes getting underway on June 16 in Birmingham.

Stokes struggled with his left knee in England's Test defeat to New Zealand in Wellington, where he could only bowl two overs while batting for 33 runs on the final day.

But McCullum has no concerns.

"I don't think he's jeopardising the Ashes. The skipper has a strong mind, and he knows how to get right for the big moments," he told reporters.

"In fact I look forward to watching him play for Chennai, and see him play cricket without the captaincy and having to worry about everyone else.

"We know when he comes back to us, he'll have that bit between his teeth. I also believe the Ashes is the script the skipper is waiting to write."

Stokes has delivered in huge moments for England, from starring in their 2019 World Cup victory to stunning Australia in a famous Ashes Test at Headingley when the series was last played on English soil four years ago.

He also scored an unbeaten 52 to propel England to victory at the T20 World Cup last year and has become the quickest Test captain to reach 10 wins.

At Chennai, he will play under head coach Stephen Fleming, who was once New Zealand team-mates with McCullum.

"I've got a tee-time with him, so I'll be making sure he looks after the skipper," said McCullum of Fleming.

"Chennai have a very good set-up, and they have an outstanding leader in Flem. He sees the big picture in everything, so I've no concerns."

Australia won the last Ashes 4-0 but after developing a distinct style of play since McCullum's appointment, England look primed to take the fight to the tourists. 

"This team has grown over the last eight or nine months," McCullum added. "I think the players have become more at ease with how we're playing, and it's become more authentic.

"Our style certainly does give us the best chance of being able to topple a good Australian side.

"We know it won't be easy but with eight or nine months development of that style under our belts, we should be hard to beat. Bring it on!"

Tim Southee hailed New Zealand's dramatic one-run win over England as a great advert for Test cricket and revelled in the "pretty special" victory.

The Black Caps became just the fourth side in history to win a Test match having been asked to follow-on from the first innings.

A dramatic fifth day saw Neil Wagner, who finished with four wickets, claim the final scalp of James Anderson as England were all out for 256 needing 258 for victory.

It means the series finished tied at 1-1, with Black Caps skipper Southee talking up the resolve of his side.

"I have to say it ranks right up there," he told BT Sport. "There have only been a handful of sides to be asked to follow on and win, so it is pretty special.

"We were on the back foot after two days and the character shown over the last three days has been really pleasing."

The defeat was only England's second in 11 Tests with Ben Stokes as captain and Brendon McCullum as coach.

Their exciting brand of 'Bazball' cricket fell short on this occasion, and the form they have shown made victory even sweeter for Southee.

"It is great for Test cricket the way England have been playing and it was another great Test match to be involved in," he added.

"All the guys here cherish Test cricket and hopefully having matches like this will be good for Test cricket going forward."

Ben Stokes felt "blessed" to have taken part in one of the all-time great Test finishes and has no regrets in enforcing the follow-on despite England's one-run loss to New Zealand.

Neil Wagner took four wickets, including the final scalp of James Anderson, as England were bowled for 256 requiring 258 for victory.

It meant the series finished tied at 1-1, while New Zealand became only the fourth team to win a Test having been forced to follow-on.

"It is disappointing to not win, but we look at the bigger picture," England captain Stokes told BT Sport.

"What everyone has enjoyed here today is probably bigger than any disappointment at the moment.

"Being in that situation in the last half an hour, it is everything you wish for.

"And even though we came out on the wrong side of it, you can't help but feel blessed that we managed to be a part of an incredible game like that."

England declared with two wickets remaining in their first innings and asked New Zealand to bat again after knocking the Black Caps over for 209.

But instead of going back to the crease to give New Zealand something to chase, Stokes opted to have the hosts bat again – a decision he would not change.

"Imagine captaining in hindsight? That's not something I would ever do," he said.

"It was always our game to lose once we had enforced the follow-on. The logic was our bowlers had ripped through their top order three innings in a row and we knew New Zealand had to play pretty much the perfect game to put us in a situation like this.

"Batting in the last innings chasing 250 is not something we were worried about, but you have to give huge credit to New Zealand not just for the way they batted in their second innings but the way they bowled and managed to get early wickets with not too many runs on the board.

"Other teams are allowed to pay better than us and New Zealand played better than us this week."

Stokes said Anderson's reaction to being the final wicket, where he walked off smiling, summed up the feeling of everyone playing in the Test match.

"I didn't know how Jimmy would react when he walked off," Stokes added.

"He's been in those positions before where he's walked off disappointed, but the fact he was walking off smiling made everything we talk and speak about true and a reality."

England require another 210 runs for victory with nine wickets in hand after the history-making Kane Williamson set up a thrilling fifth-day finale with his 26th Test century in Wellington on Monday.

Williamson became New Zealand's all-time leading Test run scorer on his way to 132 as the Black Caps posted 483 in their second innings to set England a target of 258 for victory in the second Test.

The hosts potentially could have set England a target beyond 300 if not for spinner Jack Leach cleaning up the tail in quick time, finishing with 5-157, as New Zealand lost their final four wickets for five runs.

After Zak Crawley survived a Devon Conway run-out chance, Tim Southee removed the opener by jagging one back to take the top of off-stump as England reached stumps at 48-1 from 11 overs, with Ben Duckett (23 not out) and night watchman Ollie Robinson (1 not out) at the crease.

Victory is on the table for either side, with New Zealand roaring back into the contest as they look for a series-levelling win to preserve their record of not losing a home Test series since 2017.

The hosts resumed at 202-3, trailing by 24 runs, and lost Henry Nicholls for 29 to Ollie Robinson before they had got ahead of the ledger. Daryl Mitchell fell to Stuart Broad for a run-a-ball 54 before Williamson took charge alongside Tom Blundell in a 158-run stand which ensured the hosts a shot at victory.

The second session belonged to Williamson and Blundell who batted through, with the former skipper reaching triple figures before tea, while James Anderson dropped the latter.

Williamson eventually departed for 132 from 282 deliveries when Ben Stokes' hopeful review revealed he had tickled a leg-side delivery from Harry Brook, bowling at Test level for the first time, to wicketkeeper Ben Foakes.

Foakes' quick thinking led to Michael Bracewell's inexplicable run out before the Black Caps' tail fell meekly searching for fast runs, eager for a crack at England's top order late in the day's play.

Run-chase experts

England have won 10 of their last 11 Tests with fourth-inning run chases and are unlikely to be fazed by the target, despite history suggesting otherwise. The tourists started positively despite their awkward 11-over stay in the final session, erasing almost 20 per cent of the target already.

Black Caps in the game

On the flip side, New Zealand are in with a shot at a remarkable victory. Only three teams in Test history have previously won a game after being made to follow-on.

Joe Root was in the mood to gush about the talents of his successor as England captain, Ben Stokes, after his own "solid contribution" helped put the tourists in a strong position in the second Test in New Zealand.

England started day two on 315-3, adding another quickfire 120 before declaring on 435-8, with Root unbeaten on 153.

The bowlers were able to reduce New Zealand to 138-7 before rain stopped play, with James Anderson and Jack Leach taking three wickets each.

There had been some surprise when Stokes called the declaration immediately after Root passed 150, but it allowed England time to claim the two early wickets of Devon Conway and Kane Williamson before lunch.

"I think it was a brilliant call from Ben," Root said. "It felt like that 40 minutes before the break, the sun was out and with 40 minutes of sun, a heavy roller and 40 minutes of sun at lunch, it might have changed the wicket.

"It didn't work out like that, it gave a better opportunity to make the most of the conditions. The way we're playing at the minute with the confidence we've got, seeing the ball move around with the number one Test bowler [Anderson], the two leading wicket-takers we've ever had [Anderson and Stuart Broad], it just seemed a very brave and attacking option. Full credit to Ben, as you'd expect, for taking it on.

"He's just walked so naturally into the role, he's managing the game really well and everyone is responding to it. I just think was a brilliant call from him, it would have been very easy for us to keep going and we might not be sat here with them seven down tonight. Credit to him, he's doing a great job."

Root's partnership of 302 with Harry Brook (186) was the third-best for the fourth wicket in England Test history, and fell just eight runs shy of the best partnership overseas, behind Paul Collingwood and Kevin Pietersen's 310 in Adelaide in 2006.

"I felt like I owed that to the group," Root said of his 153. "It's been a while since I made a solid contribution. To be part of such a big partnership was really pleasing and I think the best thing was I had the best seat in the house to watch Harry go about his business.

"It's a joy to watch him play at the minute. He certainly made my life a lot easier out there, the way he manages to wrestle momentum in our favour and constantly put bowlers under pressure.

"I felt we had a really good understanding, we negated a few modes of dismissal by getting down the crease. We fed off each quite nicely and made it difficult for them to bowl one length for us."

Ben Stokes does not see James Anderson stopping any time soon after the "relentless" England seamer returned to the top of the Test bowling rankings.

Australia captain Pat Cummins had occupied the top spot since February 2019, while Anderson was last at the summit in November 2018.

At the age of 40, he is the oldest bowler to reach the top of the rankings since Clarrie Grimmett in 1936.

Anderson took 7-54 across New Zealand's two innings in England's 267-run win at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui last week, and captain Stokes says his side are fortunate to have him.

"Albeit him being 40, I just can't see him stopping," Stokes told reporters ahead of the second Test at Basin Reserve in Wellington.

"Every time he turns out there, he's one of the main guys you throw the ball to when you feel like you need a wicket. He's just relentless with everything that he does.

"We're very lucky to have him. Rightfully so he's back at the top. I know sometimes those rankings don't mean much to people, but in our opinion, he has been one of the best, if not the best, for longer than what these rankings say."

Asked if Anderson cracked a smile at the news, Stokes quipped: "No. I don't think he'll be that fussed by it, to be honest - he'll just keep doing his thing."

New Zealand skipper Tim Southee also lavished praise on Anderson.

"He's phenomenal and has been for a long period of time," Southee said. "To have played as many Test matches as he's had is phenomenal on its own.

"He doesn't look like he's slowing down any stage. I've thoroughly enjoyed watching it from afar and any time you play against them it's a great chance to catch up and talk to them. To see a 40-year-old sitting at the top of the charts is pretty impressive."

Anderson made more history with his performance in the first Test, as he and Stuart Broad dethroned Australia greats Glenn McGrath and the late Shane Warne as the pair of team-mates with the most Test wickets between them while playing in the same side.

Broad and Anderson have taken 1,009 Test wickets combined from 133 appearances together – Warne and McGrath reached their total in 104 matches.

Stokes has named an unchanged team for the second Test, which starts on Friday, with New Zealand striving to salvage a draw.

While Broad and Anderson did the damage with the ball, Harry Brook was named player of the match after making 89 and 54, while Joe Root returned to form with a half-century in the second innings.

Ben Stokes has revealed he will miss the conclusion of the Indian Premier League season in order to lead England in their Test against Ireland in June.

The four-day match starts on June 1 at Lord's, four days after the IPL final, and provides Brendon McCullum's side with their final warm-up fixture before the Ashes.

Stokes, who was bought by Chennai Super Kings for £1.6m in December's auction, leads a selection of England stars including Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow at the IPL this year.

But speaking ahead of his side's second Test with New Zealand this week, the captain has vowed to ensure he is available, though he will leave others to decide for themselves.

"Yes, I'll play [against Ireland]. I'll be making sure I give myself enough time to get back and play the Ireland game," he said.

"I think it's a little bit too far ahead to say [for others], but one thing I've got to look at is we've got the Ashes after the Ireland Test.

"I'll probably get round the individuals and ask them what they want to be ready for the Ashes.

"Those five [Ashes] games are obviously the big ones of the summer, and you've got to think about what the lads want.

"You also have to think about is if something was to happen in the Ireland game, and we lose someone for the Ashes.

"It's just one of those where you have to weigh up the options of what the individual person actually wants out of that week versus do we really need to play that one? Because I'm obviously right in saying that series is bigger than that game against Ireland."

Stokes sat out the 2022 edition of the IPL, having suffered a broken finger in his most recent game there for Rajasthan Royals, which contributed to what became a break from cricket.

After a 267-run win in Mount Maunganui, England are out to seal a clean sweep of their two-Test series against New Zealand, starting in Wellington on Friday.

Under the tutelage of New Zealand great Brendon McCullum's coaching and Stokes' captaincy, England have won 10 of their last 11 Tests while playing a thrilling brand of cricket dubbed 'Bazball'.

Blair Tickner is hoping the trauma New Zealand has gone through as a nation due to Cyclone Gabrielle will help bring the Test squad together.

Tickner's hometown of Hawke's Bay, on the east coast of the country's north island, has borne the brunt of the cyclone, which has been labelled as the fiercest storm the nation has experienced in living memory.

The official death toll stands at 11 but thousands of homes have been damaged beyond repair.

Tickner, who made his Test debut in the heavy defeat to England at the Bay Oval last week, was given special dispensation to leave the squad and assist the rebuild efforts in Hawke's Bay.

The 29-year-old linked back up with the Black Caps squad in Wellington and, ahead of the second Test starting on Friday at Basin Reserve, believes the team has been brought closer together by the catastrophe.

"I definitely want to get my first win in Test match cricket and really want to do it for the people in Hawke's Bay," he said of the extra motivation he has heading into the second Test.

"Now we've banded together as a team and fundraising this money I think it's going to be very special."

Explaining the damage in his hometown, an emotional Tickner said: "My father's house has been fully destroyed.

"It was good to get back and help them out. And, obviously, it's hard times for the whole region so helping out neighbours and whoever we could.

"Luckily enough, the Central Stags cricket team was helping alongside us. It has been tough. It's really tough at the moment. But [people in] Hawke's Bay are staying strong.

"Obviously, you grow up there as a kid and it's just crazy. A bit hard to talk about, really. There are so many damaged little parts of Hawke's Bay I haven't even seen yet.

"You sort of just get to work: people are just walking down the road and just asking people if they need help and it has just been awesome to see the region pulling together."

England won by 267 runs in the first Test, meaning the best New Zealand can hope for from the two-match series is a draw.

Under the tutelage of New Zealand great Brendon McCullum's coaching and Ben Stokes' captaincy, England have won 10 of their last 11 Tests while playing a thrilling brand of cricket dubbed 'Bazball'.

Wicketkeeper Ben Foakes is enjoying the freedom.

"It kind of feels like club cricket," said Foakes. "When I first came in, the pressures involved in Test cricket were so extreme and you were so worried about playing a false shot and things like that.

"Sometimes now you can get out in a weird way and it's a kind of a joke."
 

England out to extend winning streak

England have won their last four Tests against New Zealand, after going winless across their seven meetings prior in the format (D3, L4).

The last time they enjoyed a longer winning run against the Black Caps was a six-match span from February 1963 to July 1965.

Stokes' team have won their last six Tests. England last had a better such run in the format back in 2004, when they won eight in a row.

Skippers Stokes and Williamson close in on records

Stokes (194) is six away from becoming the 16th player to take 200 wickets for England in men's Tests. 

However, Stokes' Test bowling strike rate against New Zealand (110.8) is his highest against any team.

New Zealand captain Kane Williamson (7,651 runs), meanwhile, is 33 away from becoming the all-time leading run scorer for New Zealand in men's Tests.

England Test captain Ben Stokes expects Harry Brook to become a "global superstar" after the batter starred once again versus New Zealand.

Yorkshire's Brook has taken to international red-ball cricket with ridiculous ease, amassing 623 runs from his eight innings in Stokes and Brendon McCullum's side.

While the 23-year-old did not manage a fourth straight century, having scored three tons in Pakistan, his contributions were again vital against New Zealand in the first Test at Mount Maunganui.

Brook scored 89 off just 81 deliveries in the first innings and a 41-ball 54 in the second to help England to a crushing 267-run victory – their 10th win in 12 Tests under Stokes.

He is scoring at a strike rate of 96.88 and averaging 77.87, owing to the aggressive brand of cricket Stokes and McCullum have instilled, much to his captain's delight.

"Brooky is carrying on from his amazing series in Pakistan," Stokes told Sky Sports after Sunday's win over the Black Caps.

"He is a fantastic talent. I think he will go on to be a global superstar.

"The more senior guys with the bat have to take a lot of credit for allowing the young guys to go out and express themselves.

"They are trying to put on a show, which is what everyone wants to do and is being allowed to do. It has taken the weight off everyone's shoulders and the expectation only comes from the dressing room."

Victory over New Zealand marked a sixth straight Test victory for a reinvigorated England, with James Anderson and Stuart Broad taking much of the credit for their record-breaking exploits.

The veteran pair became the most successful partnership in the history of five-day cricket, tallying 1,009 wickets combined by the end of the match to surpass the previous best of 1,001 achieved by Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne.

Stokes was again keen to deflect the praise away from his own captaincy methods as he lauded the wealth of riches he can call upon with both the bat and ball.

"Not only have I got an unbelievable bowling attack, we've also got a seriously skilled and very brave batting line-up," he added. 

"As much as it is me captaining the side, the team obviously have to take a lot of credit for the sort of record I have as a captain, even more than myself."

Ben Stokes feels "blessed" to be working with such a strong bowling unit as England wrapped up a 267-run rout of New Zealand in the first Test in Mount Maunganui.

After Stuart Broad's mesmerising Saturday spell, in which he removed four of the Black Caps' top order, James Anderson swept up the tail as England finished an impressive job within one session at Bay Oval on Sunday.

During the match, Anderson and Broad – first and second on England's all-time list of Test wicket-takers – became the most successful partnership in the history of five-day cricket, tallying 1,009 combined by the end of the match to surpass the previous best of 1,001 achieved by Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne.

With Ollie Robinson also in England's best XI, and Mark Wood, Olly Stone, Matthew Potts, Jofra Archer, Saqib Mahmood and Chris Woakes among those knocking on the door, captain Stokes is blessed with options ahead of the Ashes versus Australia later this year.

Speaking to Sky Sports, he said: "It was another great performance – very clinical with the bat and very clinical with the ball. 

"When you look at the bowling attack we have got with the pink ball under the lights, we executed everything we wanted. To have Jimmy and Broady in your bowling attack, it is always going to be tough for the opposition.

"The most pleasing thing was that whatever New Zealand threw at us with the ball, we managed to react to that. It was entertaining cricket. Even though we came away with the result, [entertaining] is what we want to do. Some days it is not going to work, but thankfully everything we tried to do paid off.

"I am pretty blessed to be in charge of this bowling group at the moment. The idea is to take 10 wickets and that is what we are trying to do – taking the scoreboard away in any situation. 

"As long as we are taking 10 wickets, it doesn't really matter how many runs we go for. We have an ethos with the bat but also with the ball."

England have racked up six straight Test wins as the Stokes-Brendon McCullum revolution continues at a pace.

This represented a 10th win from 12 Tests as captain, the joint-fastest a skipper has reached the milestone.

"There are 10 other people who have to go out there and do a job," Stokes added to BBC Sport. "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.

"I've got off to a great start with my captaincy, but most of that has got to go down to the players."

New Zealand captain Tim Southee felt his team created plenty of opportunities for wickets but did not do enough to stop England when they were in full attack mode.

"It is disappointing, but credit to England, strategically they played it pretty well. We were on the receiving end of a couple of night periods that obviously weren't ideal," Southee told Sky Sports.

"The style they play is going to present opportunities, and we saw that in the first innings. We got nine wickets in the end, and in the second innings we got all 10 – but it's about stopping the bleeding in between."

England captain Ben Stokes has overhauled coach Brendon McCullum's record for the most sixes in Test matches, reaching 109 against New Zealand on Saturday.

The all-rounder lifted back-to-back balls from New Zealand bowler Scott Kuggeleijn over the boundary to reach the figure on day three of the teams' first meeting in Mount Maunganui.

Stokes' efforts with the bat saw him pull clear outright of ex-Black Caps batter McCullum, who scored 107 sixes during an illustrious red-ball career.

Stokes achieved the feat in fewer games than his coach, reaching his new total in 90 Tests, compared to 101 for McCullum.

In a further quirk of coincidence, the pair have also scored the exact same number of Test centuries, with a dozen apiece, and have been dismissed for a duck on 14 occasions each.

The duo are also two of only three men's players to reach triple-figures when it comes to sixes in Test match cricket, alongside Australia's Adam Gilchrist, who has 100.

Stokes and McCullum have led a dramatic revival of England's Test fortunes since they took charge last year, leading them to nine wins in 10 Tests ahead of their New Zealand tour.

Ahead of a home Ashes series later this year, the pair have impressed once again in New Zealand, with the tourists holding a 330-run lead at the end of day three at the Bay Oval.

Stuart Broad's riotous 4-21 helped reduce the Black Caps to 63-5 at the close of play, with England having reached 374 all out after half-centuries from Joe Root, Ben Foakes and Harry Brook.

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