The head coach hails "genius" Test captain Ben Stokes who he believes is "only going to get better and better and better" after leading a 3-0 whitewash of Pakistan
Brendon McCullum has played down the importance of his role amid the dramatic change in fortunes for the England men's Test team.
Victory over Pakistan in Karachi secured a historic 3-0 series win and a ninth Test victory in 10 of the Ben Stokes-McCullum era.
In a year that began with a winless five-match run, the leadership axis and have inspired a change in philosophy and results which was barely believable when England were embarrassed in Australia and beaten by the West Indies.
"So I feel incredibly lucky that I've taken over this job when Stokesy has got the reins, and I think he's only going to get better and better and better, which is quite scary," McCullum, who was appointed in May just weeks after Stokes was installed as skipper, told Sky Sports.
"Because if he continues to improve and drive this team forward then, with the talent that sits within the dressing room, they will give it a good shake anyway.
The Stokes-McCullum axis continues to deliver (Matthew Lewis/Getty Images)
"I don't do bugger all, to be honest. I just make sure that the guys remain consistent with their own beliefs, and that they all want to be the best version of themselves.
"To be honest, it's a really easy job… don't tell my bosses. But I'm really enjoying myself, and I couldn't I couldn't have asked for a better opportunity."
New Zealand, India (in the fifth Test carried over from 2021), South Africa and now Pakistan have been seen off with aplomb - but most notable has been the manner in which England have gone about their work.
From ambitious declarations, bold field placings and demanding attacking batting, Stokes' captaincy has been the defining feature of the revolution.
It was therefore fitting that he was at the crease as the tourists rounded off victory in the third Test, completing the chase of 167 to win inside the first hour of day four.
"The skipper was absolutely magnificent right throughout the series," added McCullum.
"He's identified that taking away that pressure and that fear of failure allows the talent and the skill to come out."
"Not just on the field, where everyone sees the decisions he makes and the strings he pulls, but it's his man-management and his ability to get the very best out of each member of the side, off the field, which is the most impressive part from our point of view.
"It's the captain's mantra, this side is very much in the image of the skipper.
"And Stokesy wants the guys to go out there and play with the most amount of freedom that they can.
"He's got the benefit of a long and distinguished career behind him, and he's in that stage of his life where he wants to do something significant and make a real impact, not just on the game but on other people's careers.
"He's identified that taking away that pressure and that fear of failure allows the talent and the skill to come out."
Leach returns home with 15 wickets at 44.60 (Matthew Lewis/Getty Images)
England's enterprising approach isn't just restricted to their batting. Indeed, their bowling performances have been one of the stand-out features of the whitewash.
Jack Leach returns home as the leading wicket-taker with 15, Ollie Robinson took nine, James Anderson and Mark Wood claimed eight each, Rehan Ahmed debuted with seven scalps and Will Jacks added six.
"If you look at the whole six or seven months, we've taken 20 wickets in a Test on nine out of 10 occasions," McCullum gleamed. "So it's one thing scoring fast and putting teams under pressure with the bat, but you got to be able to bowl teams out as well.
"And the mantra within the group is 'how do we take wickets?' Every time we've got the ball in our hand, 'how are we going to try and get this guy out?' If you go for runs, you go for runs, but we back ourselves that will chase those runs down later on.
"I think once you have that mindset, you free yourself up from having to worry about runs. It allows you to look at things with a positive mantra."
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