'Wanted India to give 450-plus target, to see what we can do’: England captain Ben Stokes after record win in Edgbaston

Stokes doesn't want to stop at achieving the highest-ever runchase in his country's history against arguably one of the world's best bowling attacks. He wants his players to achieve more, he wants them to push the boundaries. In fact, he doesn't even know where that boundary is.

Four back-to-back 250-plus runchases - the first team to do so in the history of Test cricket, the highest successful runchase in England's cricket, 160 runs at 10 runs per over in the final session of a match to win the Test... All of this in a matter of couple of months. It is safe to say that England, or even world cricket, has turned a page since captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McClumm took over England's Test side. Confidence, bravery, belief, clarity are some of the words you can easily associate with this England side and wouldn't even be exaggerting things one bit. If one had to gage the confidence of this current England Test side then more then the cricket they have played against New Zealand and India, one should listen to captain Stokes' after each of their wins.

England's captain Ben Stokes, second right, and teammates pose after their win the fifth cricket test match against India at Edgbaston in Birmingham, Eng land, Tuesday, July 5, 2022. (AP)

Stokes doesn't want to stop at achieving the highest-ever runchase in his country's history against arguably one of the world's best bowling attacks. He wants his players to achieve more, he wants them to push the boundaries. In fact, he doesn't even know where that boundary is. "Don't know where it [the line] is," he told Sky Sports. "There was a bit of me that almost wanted them (India) to get 450, to see what we'd do.

"I said yesterday after we finished the day's play, look at how teams will be viewing us at the moment, that third innings now has become a fourth innings - because they have to concentrate on how we're going to play, and they're worried about that. So to be in that position as a team, being feared before they've even finished their innings is an unbelievable place to be in. Teams don't know how to play the third innings, especially when they've got a lead."

India were miles ahead in the first three days of the Edgbaston Test but Stokes knew England can cover those miles in the wink of eye and so they did. Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow smashed unbeaten centuries after the fastest century opening stand in England cricket's history as the hosts chased down 378 before even the second new ball was available to India.

"It's been the most fun five weeks I've had in my career so far," Stokes said. "I don't think everyone can understand what's happened here. When you get given clarity in what you want to do and what you want to achieve and think about bigger than results, it makes everything a lot easier. It takes away the external pressure of what international sports can throw at you. When you know what you want to go out there and do, it makes everything a lot more simple."

"We are trying to rewrite how Test cricket is being played, in England especially," he said. "All the different plans that we put together over the last four or five weeks, for every different situation is something we'll look to carry forward. It's not always about bowling top of off or drying up, it's how are we going to take wickets? That's what you need to do as a bowling attack, take 10 wickets.

"We know that we want to give new life to Test cricket, and the way that we go about it, and the support that we've received over the last five weeks has been incredible. It's amazing, in such a short space of time, we feel like we are bringing a new set of fans to the game. Inspiring the next generation is what we want to do, this game at the moment is bigger than results for us, it's about people who come in to represent England in the future, guys who come into the dressing room after. We want to leave a mark on Test cricket."