PAUL NEWMAN: Captain Ben Stokes takes inspiration from Brad Pitt war film

How does England follow that? How do they follow up one of the most incredible comeback wins in history and ensure there is no repeat of their last tour here, when India roared back from a first Test defeat and blew England away on pitches that were raging gymnasts?

This time, things just seem different. Nothing seems impossible now. Not after the robbery in Hyderabad that left India stunned and, frankly, upset after becoming the latest side to feel the power of this ultra-positive England team and their extraordinary captain.

For his next trick, Ben Stokes will have to make do without the senior spinner who would be such a key figure in England’s plans here, after Jack Leach was cruelly ruled out with a hematoma in his left knee, suffered in his first match back after a stress fracture.

For any other England team it would have been a major blow – as Ravindra Jadeja’s absence from the second Test here will likely be for India – but Stokes would be keen to whistle another rookie spinner and throw him into the fray.

How do England follow up one of the most incredible comeback wins in history and ensure their last tour isn’t repeated here?

For Rehan Ahmed, Will Jacks and, spectacularly in the first Test, Tom Hartley – all of whom have taken a haul of five wickets or more on debut in the past year – Shoaib Bashir, who had his first net session in India on Wednesday, read and could now make his first Test appearance after just six first-class matches for Somerset.

England will want to take another look at a Visakhapatnam pitch that looked pretty flat on Wednesday before announcing their hand on Thursday, but it is clear that Stokes would have no qualms about making probably his boldest call yet and picking Bashir.

It was fascinating to hear Stokes talk about the young spinner’s incredible journey from the fringes of Taunton to the fringes of Test cricket via a huge visa controversy and the captain’s special empathy with spin bowlers.

It is understood that Bashir was quickly welcomed into the group and received plenty of cheers from the players as he walked into the dressing room on Sunday after his delayed arrival here. And he did his cause no harm by taking the captain’s wicket during England’s net session.

“It wasn’t the first time he got me because he did it a few times in Abu Dhabi,” Stokes said. “But I’m not sure this one would have slipped!

“Honestly, Abu Dhabi was the first live look I had of Bash. The first time I saw him was on Twitter. On the County Championship account there was a video of him bowling to Sir Alastair Cook and I just saw something. I thought, “This could be quite good in India.” I’m in a WhatsApp group with Baz McCullum and Rob Key – there’s actual work material on there, it’s not just golf swings – so I forwarded the clip and said, “Look at this. It could be something we can work with during our India tour.” And it went from there.

Ben Stokes has revealed he is a big fan of the Brad Pitt character in Fury

This time, things just seem different. Nothing seems impossible now

On the ball: Bashir showed during training yesterday that he is a man of many talents

“It was great when Bash turned up in Hyderabad after everything that had happened. He landed at 8:25 am on Sunday, reached the hotel, took a shower and immediately hit the ground. I said he didn’t have to stay that day, but he said, “No, no, I’m staying for this.”

“Then it was great for him to see that win on his first day back in camp and see what Test cricket can be.

“He would have seen things on TV but to be in the dressing room and see the emotion was great for him.

“If he plays, the great thing is: what has he got to lose? I’ll try to make it as fun and enjoyable as possible for him.’

It is not yet certain that there will be a call for Friday’s Test. It was striking how well Jimmy Anderson and Ollie Robinson bowled into the nets and both were able to play at the expense of Leach and Mark Wood.

McCullum’s giddy talk of an all-out attack against his friends on New Zealand radio seems set for at least another day.

Ahmed was the only England player missing from training – his absence was due to a fast day – and he could come under pressure for his place from Bashir.

Whichever of the young spinners are selected at the Vizag Stadium, they know they have a captain who seemingly has the exceptional ability to get the most out of slow bowlers.

“It’s about giving the spinners as much confidence and responsibility as the sealers,” Stokes said. “I think my thing with spinners is to give them as much support as any other bowler.

“I don’t just give them the ball to give the seams a break. I want them to get going and make something happen and not worry about the scoreboard.”

We clearly see the continued evolution of one of the best and most innovative captains in England’s history and Stokes gave another insight into this transformation of Test cricket he is undergoing when asked who inspired him as a leader.

“I said a few times about the Brad Pitt character in the movie Fury,” he replied. ‘I watch a lot of those kinds of films.

‘The best leaders are the ones people would do anything for. I talk a lot, but I also have to go out and do the actions.

‘I don’t need everyone to like me. I just want people to respect me and go along with what I say. I think everyone knows it’s all about selflessness, and that goes a long way as a leader.”

England are going a long way under Stokes. And they could take another big step towards an important series triumph here this week.