Former England spinner Vic Marks has lauded the mentality of Ben Stokes' side, praising them for 'never thinking they are going to be beaten' and stating that next year's Ashes series should be a "fascinating" contest.
Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum have completely transformed this England side, having inherited a team that had been humiliated by Australia in the last Ashes series and had only won one of their last 17 Test matches.
The pair have got England playing a new positive and aggressive brand of cricket and it has had instant results, with their side now winning eight out of nine Tests since they took charge. And after England sealed a historic series victory over Pakistan, talk has already begun about next summer's Ashes with Marks keen to see how this new-look England fare against Australia.
"What I'm impressed by and what Stokes alluded to is the energy that England had at the end of the session," Marks said on BBC Test Match Special. "You can quibble about the odd decision but out in the field, the energy of all 11 out there is staggering.
"I know it hasn't been stifling hot but their fielding throughout has been absolutely brilliant and they don't seem to buckle. There was a moment where the game was going away but you wouldn't have sensed that the way they bowled and fielded.
"They just don't know when they're beaten, they never think they are going to be beaten, they're going to find a way and you never know what their way is going to be. What will be fascinating is when it gets to Australia next summer."
And with the success England have enjoyed so far under Stokes and McCullum, batting coach Marcus Trescothick even said he wished the Ashes was starting next week. Speaking after the win in Rawalpindi, Trescothick told reporters: "It is the exciting part [the Ashes].
"I wish we were going into the Ashes next week. If it continues on in this form then it bodes for a great series.
"As we say we do not look too far ahead in what is going on. But it is exciting, no doubt about it, because India series and Ashes series are the pinnacle of what we do in Test cricket."
