England won the three-Test series against South Africa 2-1 despite losing the first Test.
After England's dominant home summer, former captain Michael Vaughan is confident that Ben Stokes and his team can regain the Ashes urn next year from longtime rivals Australia.
Following England's 4-0 humiliation in Australia earlier this year, the Test team's leadership changed, with New Zealander Brendon McCullum taking over as head coach and Ben Stokes becoming captain.
Since then, the team has showcased a fearless brand of cricket which has colloquially been termed as ‘Bazball’, an approach that has allowed it to win six out of seven Tests which included a 2-1 series win over South Africa.
“At the start of April, if you had said they had a chance to win back the Ashes next year we would have said there was no way they could do it,” Vaughan wrote in his column for the Daily Telegraph.
“But, on the back of a remarkable summer of test cricket, it is clear: England can regain the urn next summer.”
According to the former cricketer, Australia will respect this fearless brand of cricket and also fear it.
“Australia will respect the aggressive way that England have played this summer. And they will fear it too, knowing that England can attack and are so dangerous from all positions.”
The 47-year-old asserted that the current English team's aggressive style of cricket and lack of fear of failure made their performances during the English summer so thrilling.
“The leadership group of Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum has been so clear in releasing the shackles of any pressure on the field,” he wrote.
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He further remarked that the way to be even more successful in the traditional format, Stokes and his men will need to amalgamate flair with toughness.
“They have sent a clear message to the opposition that they are out to win, from any position.”
“If they want to be the best team in the world for a period then they will have to play more consistently – combine that flair they have displayed all summer with that toughness and shrewdness,” he added further.
(THE DAILY TELEGRAPH INPUTS)