An emotionally exhausted Ben Stokes said he was “thankful” to have been a part of England’s dramatic one-run defeat to New Zealand.
England became only the second team in history to lose a Test match by one run and the fourth team to lose having enforced the follow-on after a scarcely believable match in Wellington came to a close halfway through day five.
During England’s unsuccessful chase of 258, Stokes scored 33 as he and Joe Root combined for a 121-run partnership which rescued England from 80 for five and took them to within 50 of victory, only for both to depart and New Zealand to dismiss England’s lower order with just a single run to spare - James Anderson the last man to go.
“Gosh, I mean, what a game,” Stokes said at the close of play. “Obviously after I got out, having to watch after was massively up and down and with Jimmy and [Jack] Leachy at the end there, it was crazy.
“You just don’t know what to do with yourself, but, I just think at the end of the day if you can’t look back at that Test match, even in our dressing room on the losing side and be quite thankful that you’ve been involved in a game like that because Tests matches like that don't happen that often.”
In isolation, England’s defeat was historically bad, they had lost from several unlosable positions throughout the match and yet through sheer force of personality, they have turned it into a good news story that is further evidence of what Stokes and McCullum are trying to achieve with Test cricket of placing entertainment first and results second.
Speaking to BBC Sport at the end of the game, Stokes said of Anderson, who was the last man out: "I didn't know how Jimmy would react when he walked off.
"He's been in those positions before where he's walked off disappointed, but the fact he was walking off smiling made everything we talk and speak about true and a reality."
Of England's decision to enforce the follow-on, Stokes said: “We said early on, before we took the field that day if we have the opportunity to enforce the follow-on we will do it and I knew that New Zealand would have to play pretty much the perfect game to win, but even then bowling them out and having to chase 250 it was always our game to lose.
“People might not have thought that enforcing the follow-on was the right call because New Zealand did what they did, but you can't live your life or captain an international cricket team living by hindsight.”
Of genuine concern, however, is the fitness of the captain, who was visibly in severe pain for much of his innings, as his long-standing knee issue caused him severe difficulty whilst batting with the all-rounder regularly clutching at his leg.
It was confirmation of what many suspected that Stokes has been far from full fitness this tour, as he played a severely reduced role with the ball and minimised his bowling workloads in training.
“I’m not going to lie,” said Stokes. “It’s incredibly frustrating knowing something is holding me back from being able to fulfil my role, especially as a fourth seamer.
“I’ve got a four-month period now to get it even better before the Ashes, because I want to be turning up in Birmingham able to fulfil that role properly.”
Of particular interest will be if Stokes takes the field in the IPL, for which he was purchased for £1.6m by Chennai Super Kings and is due to begin on March 31.
“I’m going to the IPL,” Stokes confirmed. “I’ve had conversations with Flem [CSK head coach Stephen Fleming] and he’s fully aware of the situation with my body at the moment. It’s a week by week cast.”
Of whether Stokes had a diagnosis for his knee injury, the all-rounder replied: “I do, but I'll keep it to myself.”
