Stokes and McCullum are ‘pioneers’ – Collingwood

Captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum are “pioneers” in their approach to Test cricket, according to England assistant Paul Collingwood.

“Sometimes I think it’s crazy – in a good way,” said Collingwood.

“I know I would never have come up with some of the ideas Ben and Baz come up with. It’s great to see.”

England’s bold approach in the first Test in Rawalpindi is the continuation of the ultra-positive style that saw them win six out of seven matches in the home summer.

They have scored at 6.73 runs per over, the fastest rate of scoring ever in a Test by a team batting twice.

The tourists have constantly tinkered with their plans in the field, and their unconventional thinking included bowling almost exclusively bouncers with the new ball on the fourth evening.

“When it comes off, it’s genius. If it doesn’t come off, so be it,” said Collingwood, who himself captained England when they won the T20 World Cup in 2010.

“The bigger picture of what Baz McCullum and Ben Stokes are doing is for Test cricket to entertaining.

“It feels like they have been pioneers in the way they go about playing the game.”

England bowled Pakistan out for 579 on the fourth morning, earning a first-innings lead of 78.

They then crashed 264-7 from only 35.5 overs, with the declaration giving Pakistan plenty of time – around 100 overs – to reach the target.

The hosts found themselves 25-2, effectively 25-3 because Azhar Ali retired hurt, before Imam-ul-Haq and Saud Shakeel counter-attacked before the close.

Former England captain Michael Atherton, speaking on Sky Sports, said it was a “fantastic declaration” and called Stokes “one of the most significant England captains we’ve had”.

Atherton, who led England in 54 Tests, added: “He is prepared to lose to win and great credit to him for that.

“Everything we’ve seen in this short period of time is that he is prepared to tear up the conventions on the game to play attractive cricket.”

Collingwood, an Ashes winner in 2005, 2009 and 2010-11, said England will not be “scared” of losing in order to produce an exciting spectacle.

“If you play the game in the right way and put yourself in the right position to win, there’s no shame in losing a cricket match. If Pakistan knock the runs off tomorrow, they deserve the win,” he said.

“It’s very well balanced. It’s up to us to come out tomorrow with plenty of energy. If we get a couple of early wickets, we’re ahead of the game.”