England signed off their Test summer with defeat by Sri Lanka at the Kia Oval, but leave their red-ball season firmly in credit after winning five of their six games, including a 3-0 whitewash of the West Indies.
Here, PA looks at what they have learned over the course of the last two months.
How happy should they be with five wins from six?
Make no mistake, the deck was heavily stacked in England’s favour and they were well fancied to run away with both. For the most part they lived up to expectations, clinched the key moments and racked up some handsome victory margins. But falling at the final hurdle will be a frustration, particularly as they had the chance to be the first England side to win every match in a summer since the class of 2004.
The selectors made some big decisions this year. Did they work out?
The management really grasped the nettle with some huge calls. Record wicket-taker James Anderson was nudged into an unwanted retirement, Jonny Bairstow was axed after winning his 100th cap in India and others such as Ben Foakes, Jack Leach and Ollie Robinson were moved along to make way for the next generation. Gus Atkinson wildly exceeded expectations to ease the transition after two decades of Anderson, finishing with 34 wickets at 20.17 and an even more remarkable maiden century at Lord’s. Jamie Smith was also a wonderful discovery as wicketkeeper-batter, solid with the gloves and explosive at the crease. Both look inked in for years to come.
Were there any misfires?
Dan Lawrence has waited patiently for a chance to prove himself but was perhaps unfortunate that the opportunity came at opener, where he has precious little experience. A top score of 35 in six innings did little to further his cause and Jordan Cox may get the next chance. Shoaib Bashir’s five-for at Trent Bridge was the high watermark of a largely quiet time for the young spinner, who has leapfrogged Leach despite serving as his understudy at county level. England will surely persevere with their hunch but another 20-year-old – left-armer Josh Hull – probably needs more work. He was thrust in at the Oval despite taking only two County Championship wickets all season and looked understandably raw. It may be too soon for the big stage.
What did Ben Stokes’ injury teach us?
It is hard to overstate the symbolic weight Stokes carries in this set-up. He is the figurehead, mouthpiece and cheerleader for a team that has been moulded in his image. England missed him against Sri Lanka, even though he was never further away than the dressing room. Ollie Pope showed some good instincts as stand-in skipper but does not have the same aura. From a playing point of view, England do not have another all-rounder of Stokes’ calibre and the team lacks balance when he is not fit to pull double duty. When the biggest challenges arrive – against India next summer, or at next winter’s Ashes – he is irreplaceable.
Where does the Test team go next?
England remain the busiest side in the world game and complete their World Test Championship cycle with a three-Test tour of Pakistan next month, followed by another three-game rubber in New Zealand. Sitting sixth they are effectively out of contention for next year’s showpiece final at Lord’s, with only a perfect run-in and a convoluted sequence of results elsewhere needed to keep them interested. Instead the focus lies squarely on developing their revamped squad. Finding a way to win on the road remains the biggest challenge and they are travelling with a youthful group with plenty of promise but lots to learn. For head coach Brendon McCullum the calendar is about to get even more packed as he assumes the white-ball reins in the new year. Can he raise the bar there or will his magic be spread too thin?