The Ashes: Winning in Australia would be Ben Stokes' greatest miracle for England

Seven runs stood between England and a series victory over India.

Six, really. One sweet connection from Gus Atkinson could have brought the scores level in the final Test. A tie would have been good enough for England.

When the margin is so narrow, what can be learned? Take your catches, don't throw your wicket away after you've made a hundred, try not lose one of your bowlers to a dislocated shoulder. Hardly writing a new coaching manual, is it?

Above all, the nipper at The Oval reinforced what we knew beforehand.

With Ben Stokes in the team, England can beat anyone. Without him, they are vulnerable.

Other teams have to deal with injuries or lack of fitness. India were without Jasprit Bumrah and Rishabh Pant. Then again, the tourists won the two Tests Bumrah did not play and comfortably put away England 4-1 last year without Pant in the team.

"No," was Stokes' simple answer when asked if he had any concerns that England are too reliant on him.

In reality, Stokes is England's beating heart. When he isn't there as the all-action all-rounder, England lose their balance. Without him as captain, they lose his tactical nous and sense of focus. Runs, wickets and fielding. He is the personification of his team. It probably should be called Benball, not Bazball.

One wonders how Stokes, the arch-competitor, coped with watching Monday's finale go down to the wire. England's patron saint of lost causes was the man to engineer their last one-wicket victory in a Test.

Stokesless, England lost. The next time he will be seen on the field, hopefully, will be the first Test against Australia in Perth in November.

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