Good start for Stokes, now comes hard part

Ben Stokes has enjoyed the perfect start to his captaincy of England’s cricket Test team with three entertaining wins over New Zealand.

Ironically, it is a New Zealander who has played a key role in England’s success with new coach Brendon McCullum deserving praise for the refreshingly positive approach by the hosts.

The manner in which they achieved these victories was in stark contrast to the dismal performances against Australia in the Ashes and the West Indies.

Before the New Zealand matches, England had won only one of their previous 17 Tests and their confidence had been shattered.

They will need all this new-found belief in the ongoing one-off Test against India which began at Edgbaston yesterday.

Ranked second in the world, India are expected to be a much tougher challenge than New Zealand who, with a few exceptions, did not play like a team that are world…