Former England captains Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain shared their views on current skipper Ben Stokes hailing England’s recent Test win over Pakistan on a flat wicket in Rawalpindi ‘as one of the best wins away from home’.
England, who are touring Pakistan for the first time since 2005, put on a spectacle of aggression with the bat and decision-making as they hammered 657 and 264/7d in their two outings including more than 500 runs on day one of the Test.
Four of England’s batters Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, and Harry Brook scored centuries. Pakistan replied with 579 runs with Imam Ul Haq, Abdullah Shafique, and Babar Azam scoring centuries.
Then set 343 runs to win, Pakistan couldn’t manage to deal with the England bowling attack which was aggressive from the onset. Saud Shakeel on his debut, scored 76, while Ollie Robinson and James Anderson took four wickets each, as England bowled out Pakistan for 268 and won the Test by 74 runs.
After the match, Stokes described the Test as one of England's greatest away victories. He said: "To be able to get a result on this type of wicket is mind-blowing. I think it's probably one of the best. The effort that everyone has managed to put in this whole week is just incredible."
Reacting to the England all-rounder's comments, former captains Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain during a post-match show for Sky Sports, talked about the importance of Rawalpindi Test win and where it ranked in England's rich history of Test cricket.
Nasser Hussain: "He (Stokes) described it himself as one of England's greatest ever away wins and it's difficult to argue with that.”
Michael Atherton: "He's not a very good student of history Ben. I don't know how much he would know about England's previous wins but for those who have been around for a long time, those who know a bit more about England and victories abroad, this has to rank amongst their finest doesn't it?"
Nasser Hussain: "You're more of a historian than me. But I can't remember either in my playing days, watching cricket growing up or commentating, a better performance (than this.) A performance where you have to get everything right. To walk the walk after talking the talk. Once you say 'we're not playing for a draw' and then put in a performance like that, I would say this is one of their greatest ever away from home.”
The second Test between the two sides begins in Multan on December 9.
(Sky Sports inputs)
