Stuart Broad hails England revival: "I'm so lucky to see it first hand"

GEORGE DOBELL IN MOUNT MAUNGANUI: Having started the English summer with one win in 17 Tests, England are within sight of their 10th victory in 11 and their first victory in New Zealand for 15 years

Stuart Broad believes England are playing a style of Test cricket that is "completely unrecognisable" from anything that would have been seen at the start of his career.

And Broad, who produced one of his best new ball spells in years to put England on top in the first Test against New Zealand in Mount Maunganui, suggested it was "a bit of a shame" there was no "fly on the wall documentary" being made on a "phenomenal" period for the sport.

England have set numerous records in recent times. As well as scoring at a higher run rate than has ever been achieved across a series in Pakistan, they also made the earliest declaration (after 58.2 overs) in England's Test history on the first day of this Test. On Saturday (February 18), they also saw Ben Stokes set a new mark for the number of sixes hit in a Test career.

The new style has transformed England's results. Having started the English summer with one win in 17 Tests, they are within sight of their 10th victory in 11 and their first victory in New Zealand for 15 years. 

"It's completely unrecognisable [to the way cricket used to be played]," Broad said after play. "It's a bit of a shame there's not a fly-on-the-wall documentary on it because it's amazing to be part of. I'm so lucky to see it first hand.

Another key milestone looms for the Stokes and McCullum partnership (Phil Walter/Getty Images)

"Since June I can't remember hearing a negative word in the dressing room. It's phenomenal to watch up close and see how Baz [Brendon McCullum] and Stokesy go about their business. It's all very positive."

So dramatic has the Test resurgence been, Broad believes it compares to the limited-overs recovery that England staged after the 2015 World Cup. 

"I can imagine it was exactly like this in the white-ball resurgence with Eoin Morgan," Broad said. "He and Brendon just seem to be the same human being. They have the same mentality of positive intent all the time.

"Every day Baz [McCullum] walks in he's like 'what a great job this is!' And it’s not fake. It’s really authentic. Hand on heart, he’d rather you get out caught deep square leg than get out defending."

Broad started the day as England's nightwatch (MARTY MELVILLE/AFP via Getty Images)

While Broad knows this team's long-term record will probably be judged on their success in the Ashes, he is confident that they have played this style enough for it to have become ingrained in English cricket.

"We know that form goes a bit like a graph, you can go in and out," he said. "But it's good we’ve got a lot of talent ready to go and all buying into the style we’re looking to play. 

"The first four Tests of last summer people could have asked 'will it last? Is it sustainable?'

"But players are coming into the side and playing that style. The Lions are playing that style. So, how long do you give it to realise it’s sustainable?

"For me, I feel like it is sustainable because the mentality is so strong."

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