England head coach Brendon McCullum has hinted at changes to his batting line-up for the third Ashes Test in Adelaide, brushing aside doubts that his job could be in jeopardy if the tour to Australia spirals out of control.
McCullum’s side are trailing 0-2 in the five-match series after losing eight wickets in Perth and Brisbane, but Adelaide Oval’s often batsmen-friendly surface could help the tourists fight back in their next matches starting on Wednesday.
Ollie Pope suffered two outrageous dismissals in pink-ball matches at The Gabba – playing with an angled bat that chopped him into the stumps in the first innings, and catching and bowling him attempting a reckless drive in the second – but the coach’s words on Sunday suggest the number three will retain his place ahead of Jacob Bethell.
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Sky Sports’ Nasser Hussain remained perplexed by Ollie Pope’s dismissal on day three of the second Ashes Test in Brisbane
Joe Root was the only player to average more than 30 after the first two Ashes Tests, and when asked about the change in the top seven, McCullum said: “I didn’t think so. The situation (in Adelaide) should suit the style of our batsmen.”
“We know we haven’t scored enough points so far in this series, we’ve been in positions to score and we’ve made some mistakes.
“But it’s not about abandoning what we’ve been successful at over the past few years. It’s about having more faith.
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Hussain says England need to show their character after ‘succumbing to pressure’ in Ashes defeats in Perth and Brisbane
“Reacting too quickly and cutting and changing established batting lineups is not our style.”
However, McCullum said there could be changes in the bowling line-up, with seamer Josh Tan and off-spinner Shoaib Bashir aiming to make their first appearances in the series.
The England manager held his tongue and added: “Everyone knows what he brings. High pace, hitting the wicket hard from long distances, being able to swing and reverse swing the ball. If that’s what we think will be most successful, he’ll score.”
McCallum says he’s not concerned about work-related questions
McCullum claimed England had “over-prepared” for the Brisbane Test by training for five days before the game.
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On the Sky Sports Cricket podcast, Hussain and Michael Atherton discuss how McCullum’s ‘overpreparedness’ claims could implicate supporters
Sky Sports’ Michael Atherton called the words “tone deaf” at a time when tourist preparedness has been regularly called into question in recent weeks.
They played just one warm-up game, an internal match against the Lions at Lilac Hill, before the first Test in Perth, and then did not send any first-team players to the pink-ball tour game in Canberra before the second game of the series at The Gabba.
Considering that and the current Ashes scoreline, McCullum’s position is being talked about, but he is not panicking ahead of a tumultuous week.
I will always protect my players and if that means putting the spotlight on me, I have no problem with that. You need enough knowledge to be able to make some plays. That way, we can hopefully buy some time and buy some time for the team. I’m happy to be able to wear it. Not everyone will agree with that, but at least the focus is on me and not the players.
England manager Brendon McCullum says he was “overprepared”
“To be honest, I don’t really care,” said the New Zealander, who is under contract until 2027. “I never coach to save jobs. I coach to bring out the best in people.”
“I strongly believe that if we play our best cricket, we will have a great chance in this Test match.
“That would change the story and change the momentum of the series. But achieving that is all in front of us.”
“Noosa has allowed us to readjust a bit.”
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Joe Root tells Nasser how England’s trip to Noosa helped the team switch off ahead of the Adelaide Test
Speaking about England’s takeaway from England’s mini-break in Noosa between the second and third Tests, McCullum added: “It was fantastic. It was planned a year in advance and it was a hugely important period for us.”
“Rather than walk away from the game, give ourselves a chance to consolidate some of the lessons we’ve learned over the last few weeks and recalibrate a little bit. Spend some time away from the heat of battle and spend some time together.”
“Right now I think the freshness with which we come into this test will pay off. There are no guarantees, but that’s the plan.”
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Australian radio station 92.7 Mix FM tracked the England cricket team relaxing on a Noosa beach by sledding, and Ben Stokes filmed them in good spirits.
“The players are excited to get back to training and are looking forward to preparing for the next few days.
“I strongly believe that if we play our best cricket we will have a big chance in this Test match. That will change the narrative and change the momentum of the series.”
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