I don't think there's anyone that can possibly be criticizing the results. What McCullum and Stokes have done to turn things around is extraordinary.
10 wins in 11 Tests, after we'd won (I think) 1 in 17 beforehand.....and we've gone from having one batsman we can rely on to a high quality, settled Top Five in no time (though I do still have concerns about Crawley).
I still find the style of play a turn-off, though. Test cricket always used to be a subtle examination of skills, including patience, grit and defensive technique. Now we've turned it into a three-day long t20 game, I'm not really sure I see what the point of it is any more.
I 100% accept that Bazball is likely to be viewed as more exciting by the majority of people. I'm just in the grumpy old minority that feels like the version of the game they loved doesn't really exist any more.......
Let's be honest, the 'version' of the game you love was on it's a**e (apart from perhaps in England and occasionally in Australia, interest wise) and I largely disagree with your comments which carry a whiff of cricketing romance.
It's not just the fact we had only won 1 in 17 games, we had actually just lost to the West Indies in a tedious, poor quality series with absolutely no redeeming features. The crowds were almost entirely tourists and local interest negligible There was no 'subtle' examination of skills - just two teams low on confidence, motivation and technique, in some instances. Pakistan would have been exactly the same without a radical rethink. It was terrible and memories of the last Ashes thrashing in Australia were still ringing in our ears.
We couldn't decide how Anderson and Broad would be handled and younger players were not establishing themselves. I think what we are seeing is more of a reset than a revolution and that the style of play will find a middle ground when needed - although Brook went at a lick today, Root played a lovely 'old style' innings, 101 runs in 182 balls. Only 7 4's but plenty of nudges and nurdles and hard running. Foakes has also played similar innings when the situation calls.
We hadn't won a test in NZ for what, 15 years and the crowds in that time have been terrible. Along with innovative ticket pricing, the crowds have been better this time - not full, but certainly showing more interest. In India, where the best two test teams are playing, stadiums have been half-full at best and the last England visit there saw huge swathes of empty seats.
I'm a regular test match spectator in person and a member at Surrey, although I support Gloucestershire it's local to me. Some days I like nice slow test or county game with a few pints thrown in while talking s**t to my mates but a quick look at the average age of the attendees is not encouraging for the future of the County Championship or tests.
I appreciate we have still to see how adaptable the likes of Brook will be and if they have the technique to succeed in the longer term bit if the main purpose of the current approach is to win and entertain, I'll take that. We all talk about the batting but more encouragingly we are trying to take 20 wickets and this may even have extended Broad and Anderson's careers. The players seem happier and the management are being realistic about long nets and practice sessions, as well as allowing some players to join the T20 franchises and the ensuing financial benefits.
The Aussie's may well administer a bolt of cricketing reality and it seems a few old-school England fans are actually hoping for that so they can say 'I told you so', but at least we have a plan - 12 months ago we were clueless and looking for inspiration.
