Where Stokes has been really good is giving his team-mates the confidence to go out there and perform, instead of being intimidated by international cricket. Bashir and Hartley are obvious examples. Maybe Atkinson, although it's very early days. Probably Brook although he's talented enough to do something at this level whoever's in charge. Pope and Crawley probably. Bairstow's upturn in 2022 before be was too injured and too fat. I suppose I'm saying that he's got the side to be more than the sum of its parts. Go back 12 months, and I thought we'd lose 3-1 to Australia because, man-for-man, that looked the likeliest outcome. Well that didn't happen, did it. I'm old enough and grumpy enough to be unhappy with some of the performances some of the time, but lets give the ginger bugger credit where due. And, by extension, let's give the side some credit too.
EDIT
I should have included Duckett in that list of course. Not just because his test figures have been so much better than what he previously managed, as that was eons ago. But more because he's had the freedom to play the way he does. And, without checking, I suspect that his test performances since he returned to the side are significantly better than his CC stats would have suggested. And then there are the individual performances. Jacks taking a six-fer on debut was ridiculous. Ahmed is at least a proper bowler, but to come in and take a five-for on debut and at his age was quite something. Then there's Joverton scoring 97 on debut against a decent NZ attack who had reduced us to 55 for 6. I think it happens too often to be a coincidence.