Entertainers, rockstars and riff dudes at Test cricket and frenzy ensues

The night before the Fifth Trial between England and India in Edgbaston, Ben Stokes watched “Elvis,” a biographical drama about rock ‘n’ roll icon Elvis Presley.

You wouldn’t describe Stokes or his team-mates as cinephiles, although they often make the trip to the movies on Test game week to pass the time. Choosing a film is usually fairly easy, although Stokes’ penchant for horror films can be polarizing.

On odd occasions they have taken inspiration from the big screen. During their 2019-20 South Africa tour, they were fascinated by Sam Mendes’ “1917”, about the search for two British soldiers who delivered the message to call off a failed operation. It helped Mendes, a cricket fan, name the three characters after Stokes, Jos Buttler and Alastair Cook.

This time around, there aren’t too many cricket references – even if director Baz Luhrmann is Australian – but there are certain moments that touch Stokes’ heart.

During the 1950s, Elvis had a reputation as a troublemaker for creating an uncontrollable frenzy at his shows with his on-stage antics. He was even threatened with imprisonment. One particular scene in the film recounts an incident when Elvis was warned not to perform his characteristic hip thrusting motion. Specifically: don’t even wiggle a finger. Elvis went up on stage, the people in front of him being restrained by security, posed and said the following: “There are a lot of people who say a lot of things. But in the end you have to listen to yourself.” He then raised his right hand and wiggled his little finger, before performing his usual action. Troubles ensued.

Stokes was so captivated by this moment, in part because he saw so little of himself in it. An entertainer who for a long time felt attached to the conservative ways of cricket, especially at the Test level. And on the morning of the first day, England swarmed and he referred to the scene, along with a little finger waggle and, having previously urged them to think of themselves as entertainers, begged them to go to the series’ salvage match with India. think they are “rockstars”. He then looked at Joe Root: “What are we, Rooty?”

“Rock star!” replied the former captain. And they went on to win the game, dropping home with a chasing record of 378 in 76.4 overs.

Stokes made a finger move on day four as he took four wickets ending India’s second inning at 245 with a 377 lead. Root celebrated his centenary on day five with that, too, boosted by his captain looking so relaxed on the balcony the only way you know him in the next is because it is written so on the scorecard. He also wears his pad, but you don’t know anymore with this one. He probably used it to laugh.

“I didn’t think I would ever be able to feel or look like a rockstar,” admits Root, sheepishly explaining the celebration. “But for 10 seconds,” he added, “I might have done it today. That’s what little pinkies are all about.”

Hands up – who would have thought Root, born way, FEC, elbow high, would ever call himself a rockstar? But here he is, part of the gang, joining all the less serious parts around the very serious ones. There, at the house party, where they all have a great time, even if he makes sure the empty ones go into recycling down the road.

If there’s a feeling of warmth in English cricket at the moment, it’s because the heat is coming from that England dressing room. A room with several big egos all coming together. And above all, seems to be having fun. Enough that their captain could go see a movie, cite a bit of his favorite and get the best hitter of his generation to scream about being a rock star in front of the people he led with so much care a few months ago, then indulge. joke to celebrate one of his more incredible hits.

This success is not solely built on private schools, bowling machines, and show programs, but also on genuine and genuine friendship. It’s not Andy Flower’s grizzled top-ranker, British or Australian Test top-ranker Steve Waugh – and, heck, it probably never will. These are just a few men turned men, handing kebabs to a chain of pissed off humans at 4am and somehow playing the best and most entertaining long-form cricket this country has seen for generations.

It was okay to watch them for the past month and leave without really knowing what was going on. The team went from one win in 17 games to four wins in a row against the two teams that took part in last year’s World Test Championship. They have recorded fourth-round targets of 277, 299, 296 and are now England’s record 378. Only five times in Test history have a team chased 290-plus scores at level 4.5 and above – three of them being England in the last month. It seems from behind is nothing more than a vibration.

Even the vibe, had been thought of. For example, both Stokes and vibration chief Brendon McCullum knew they wanted to make Test cricket feel a little more relaxed, believing many cricketers, both on and off the team, had been crushed by his burden. They know they can’t brainwash them into believing that Test cricket shouldn’t be taken too seriously considering how many English kids growing up dream of playing it. But they could strip off some elements to at least make it “smart casual”.

Now, the net lasts as little or as long as the player wants. There is a start time in the organization’s interest to remember the opponent’s train before or after, but otherwise, hitters can only hit until they feel good. That extends to match day. While previously teams would travel together to the ground to be on deck between 9am to 11am, they only needed to be in the locker room half an hour earlier if they didn’t want to warm up (if they didn’t want to warm up). already hit in a match, for example). Some messages did have to be spread ahead of this India Test to remind players of the 10:30am start, but so far this summer, no one has abused the loose call time.

The results, so far, speak well of this approach. Actually, “approach” seems too formal a word. But what you see is the players are bringing that sense of comfort to the center with them. Zak Crawley and Alex Lees’ opening century stand – now Britain’s fastest – is proof of that. The two players in another iteration of this side of the Test would wait for the ax to come out and swing it themselves.

Cleaning the dressing room of the usual anxieties, especially in pursuits, turned out to be very easy. Language has been a big part of that, with Stokes’ positivity on Monday ahead of the fourth half all about getting the total, no one “saw” this fluff. As Lees put it at the end of day four after 56, the players joked about Stokes winning the draw earlier in this game and said “he’s going to have a chase”, as it was said in person. Similarly, Stuart Broad’s revelations have primed as “Nighthawk”, ready to go out and hit the line in very Stuart Broad fashion if England lose the net late at night as they chase the score, talk about trying to break convention and laugh when they do.

James Anderson, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow and Ollie Pope with the Pataudi Trophy after England win•PA Photos/Getty Images

While he may appear attractive from the outside, having given only one written interview with the media since joining in late May, McCullum is an active part of all of this. Perhaps the most fun nugget to emerge from last month is that the Kiwi has a large bluetooth speaker that he uses to play his favorite music, whether on the team bus or the locker room, where, amazingly, it’s on all day long. It was at full volume in Edgbaston around 5pm on Tuesday, as players and coaching staff ate beers on the balconies and off the pitch, scored by the likes of Springsteen and Bon Jovi. Is there anything more predictable than a McCullum playlist filled with power ballads?

During the Leeds Test, McCullum made notes of sitting in a public bar at the team’s Marriott Hotel rather than in the Executive Suite, with his guard, table service, and discretion. He often sat at one of the larger tables, visible from the street, and chatted with coaches or players who wanted his ear, offering wisdom or just a few jokes, like some of King Solomon’s.

So much of what Britain is doing today can be summed up in the question, “Why?” Like curious children, it has become their starting point for any conversation, leading to the kind of quest that occasionally brings up “yes, good point – why are we doing this like that?” On balance, the follow-up answers have raised the issue. The best one arguably gives us The Nighthawk, which less sure puts managing director Rob Key in a bit of confusion as he continues his search for clothes that fit the role because he doesn’t see the need to wear a suit.

All of this makes this side of the English Test more relatable and, importantly, accessible. It had been so long since the barriers had existed, cruel rules and restrictive dress codes. Now, this team seems to feel it is their duty to provide something for all comers. They’ve mentioned several times that they want to bring more fans to Test cricket, and it honestly seems a bit too altruistic. But even the most cynical are bound to start to crack. Because it works.

If you’re lucky enough to witness the last day at Edgbaston, Headingley, Trent Bridge or the day that started it all at Lord’s, you’ll do it without paying a penny. Lord’s is a clerical twist, with Root completing that particular chase in 20 overs to entitle passengers to a full refund. The rest, however, is as part of the support from the respective countries that getting more attention to the game is what it’s all about.

Amidst all the beers and skittles, there’s steel for this team that shouldn’t be overlooked. As Stokes put it, passing on the line Jack Leach had said to him moments before: “A good way of explaining is that the team may be better than us, but the team will not be braver than us.”

They had turned a sizeable corner and were filled with conviction. And perhaps the most interesting aspect is that, after years of hesitation, they came to an important realization: Why can’t Test cricket be fun?

Vithushan Ehantharajah is a sports writer for ESPNcricinfo

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