England v New Zealand first Test: After a brutal winter do hosts have grounds for optimism?

England are no closer to disproving the theory that the country’s best opening pair is still Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook. Alex Lees gets another opportunity to show he is more than an honest county pro, while Zak Crawley must put a higher price on his wicket, rather than batting like a man spending someone else’s money.

In moving Root from number three to number four, England have created a problem that wasn’t there, and will ask Ollie Pope to provide the solution despite the Surrey man never having batted at first drop in his first-class career.

Jonny Bairstow, whose last two Test hundreds have come at number six, is moved again, this time up to five. He could have the wicketkeeping position in his future if Ben Foakes fails to add runs to his high-class glovework.

English fast bowlers must feel like they are caught up in a Final Destination movie, such is the lengthy injury list. The fact that 39-year-old James Anderson and Stuart Broad, 35, are fit is a further reminder their longevity is just as impressive as their immeasurable skill, but they are closing in on the finish line.

Debutant Matty Potts is the 12th different specialist fast bowler England have used since the beginning of last year. Spinner Jack Leach hasn’t played a home Test since 2019.

How might the team evolve? Leg-spinner Matty Parkinson can’t keep being ignored, while Harry Brook is the coming man for the middle order.

It was Stokes, in his one previous Test as captain, that united Mark Wood and Jofra Archer for the only time, suggesting a preference for pace, if any of the fast men can get fit. There is talk of a potential return for Jos Buttler, though it must surely be considered that his stellar IPL form could be because he has been freed from thinking about Test cricket.

It was pleasing to hear McCullum speak of ditching rotation, the well-meaning but botched plan that blighted the previous Ashley Giles-Chris Silverwood regime. England are not good enough to be thinking about the Test in a week or a month’s time, and must simply concentrate on the match that is immediately in front of them.