BRISTOL — There were just 11 days between the end of a chaotic Trent Bridge Test defeat against New Zealand and this series-sealing battering of India in Bristol that has taken England to the brink of becoming the No 1-ranked T20 team in the world.
What’s happened during that relatively short period has transformed the mood around English cricket.
It may only be Twenty20, yet given where the England’s men’s set-up was after a tumultuous three weeks that ended with the shock retirement of Test captain Ben Stokes in Nottingham, this success against the format’s world champions should not be underestimated.
We have gone from an atmosphere of rebellion around England that made it feel as though sackings or resignations of major figures, notably coach Brendon McCullum and director of cricket Rob Key, were inevitable.
Now that mood has lifted somewhat. Winning, especially against an India team who won the T20 World Cup as recently as March, is always extremely helpful. The fact it’s England’s first series victory against this opposition in the T20 format makes it even more so. Win Saturday’s dead rubber in Southampton and Brook’s men climb to the top of the world rankings.
