NASSER HUSSAIN: Ben Stokes' stubbornness is his greatest strength - a captain's faith in both their side's way of playing and its players can be so powerful... and England's leader has both in abundance

England produced one of their best Test victories in beating India in HyderabadStokes' side continue to impress and progress under his impressive leadershipThe England captain backed his players despite some struggling in first innings 

The quality in the England captaincy of Ben Stokes I like the most is his stubbornness. Sometimes stubbornness makes you a better leader.

If you have unerring faith both in a particular method of playing, and in the individuals you have selected to do the job for you, it can be so powerful.

Stokes never manoeuvres away from what this England team are trying to achieve, no matter what anyone from outside might be saying. Occasionally, it would be natural to doubt yourself a little bit. Maybe we shouldn’t have picked four spinners? Maybe we should’ve picked Liam Dawson. Maybe we shouldn’t be hooking every ball at Lord’s?

But Stokes never does. Like coach Brendon McCullum – whose response to being rolled over by South Africa 18 months ago was for England to go even harder at the opposition – he doubles down on decisions.

So, his response when Tom Hartley was proving expensive in the first innings against India here was not to whip him out of the attack, but to use his emotional intelligence and back him even more.

Ben Stokes' stubbornness makes him a better leader and he showed that again in Hyderabad

Ben Stokes’ stubbornness makes him a better leader and he showed that again in Hyderabad

Stokes backed debutant spinner Tom Hartley despite his struggles in the first innings of Test

Stokes backed debutant spinner Tom Hartley despite his struggles in the first innings of Test

I never doubted that Stokes had cricketing intelligence. You only have to think of his two match-defining innings in World Cup finals, the unbeaten Headingley hundred against Australia in 2019, and last year’s attempts for an Ashes repeat at Lord’s to realise how clever he is in that regard. But you never know with a captain and an all-rounder, and someone who does great things, whether they understand other people.

Various captains throughout history have been so good as individual players that they can’t relate those who aren’t at that same level as themselves, and subsequently they can’t understand when people can’t do what is being asked of them.

Stokes, though, has great empathy, clearly not forgetting what it’s like to be on debut, because he always seems to be accounting for nervousness when new players come into the side.

Maybe this, and the environment they are brought into, explains the immediate success of Will Jacks, Rehan Ahmed. Josh Tongue and now Hartley.

The environment Stokes creates in the England camp explains the immediate success of a number of call-ups

The environment Stokes creates in the England camp explains the immediate success of a number of call-ups

And the decision to persevere with Hartley on day one paid off because it gave the Lancashire left-armer the confidence when it came to bowling at a target in the final innings of the match.

Having watched his Indian counterparts in action, Hartley controlled his length much better second time around, showing a good capacity for learning as well as mental toughness in the process, and England benefitted.

And the way he was handled shows you why his team-mates want to run through brick walls for Stokes. Then, when they see moments like his run-out of Ravindra Jadeja, they must think he is super human.

This is 14 wins from 19 matches since Stokes became England’s permanent Test captain. Yes, they might come unstuck in the next four games. We all know what happened the last time they played in India three years ago, but it will not take away from these four days one bit.

Hartley took seven wickets in the second innings as he spun his side to a historic Test victory

Hartley took seven wickets in the second innings as he spun his side to a historic Test victory

Stokes' players would run through a brick wall for him and it is clear to see why that is the case

Stokes’ players would run through a brick wall for him and it is clear to see why that is the case

How big a win was this? Well, you could certainly argue it is one of England’s greatest. You just don’t come back from conceding a deficit of 190 on first innings in India, and remember they were also 163 for five in the second innings.

With three quality spinners on the opposition, the history books told you it needed something remarkable to pull this result off, and that is what they got.

Pre-Hartley it came from the bat of Ollie Pope, who produced his greatest knock in an England shirt and one to rival that of Kevin Pietersen in Mumbai 11 years ago.

This was a lad who had not batted for a long time, had scored just one in the first innings, and who hadn’t had great returns in Test match cricket in India.

It wasn’t only his technique that impressed. His shot selection – sweeps, reverse sweeps, scoops, use of the feet – was remarkable.

Ollie Pope  is another player who has thrived in the Stokes and Brendon McCullum era

Ollie Pope  is another player who has thrived in the Stokes and Brendon McCullum era

Again, he is someone to have benefited from the Stokes/McCullum regime. Firstly, they moved him up to number three, a position in which he is revelling. Secondly, his confidence has grown since he was made vice captain. He is a player who thrives on confidence.

And the removal of the fear of failure from this England environment means that someone like Pope is no longer worried about getting out when he is in, allowing him to take the attacking option whenever in doubt in the second innings.

It was a policy that paid off. He’s a nervy starter, as we saw on day one, but given licence to express himself, he took risk, but never high-risk. That’s how good his judgement was.

Remember too, England aren’t up against highly-skilled emerging Indian spinners. These guys are the finished articles. Some of the world’s best ever.

England picked novices in a spin quartet on a hunch from Stokes, McCullum (pictured) and director of cricket Rob Key

England picked novices in a spin quartet on a hunch from Stokes, McCullum (pictured) and director of cricket Rob Key

In contrast, England picked novices in a spin quartet on a hunch from Stokes, McCullum and England director of cricket Rob Key that it was the right combination for these conditions, despite others suggesting two seamers would provide better balance.

Crucially, their decision also added a bit more batting depth, and the runs of Rehan Ahmed and Hartley proved absolutely vital in the end.

Another example of this England side prospering from doing things the Stokes way – and after a breathtaking few days, Test cricket is grateful for it.

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