McCullum doubles down on England’s attacking plan

London : England Test coach Brendon McCullum has stressed that the team will continue to play in the same bold vein in the Ashes and throughout their home summer campaign, even as they are forced to shuffle personnel on the bowling side.

England face Ireland in a four-day Test match at Lord’s from June 1, before their Ashes series begins at Edgbaston on June 16.

The five-match series against their oldest rivals comes only 17 months on from a humbling 4-0 defeat Down Under, though the England side of 2021/2022 pales in significance to the outfit now playing the ‘BazBall’ way.

All but throwing the idea of draws out the window, and harnessing their era of white-ball dominance to employ an ultra-aggressive brand of cricket, England under McCullum and with Ben Stokes as captain have won 10 of their past 12 Tests.

Perhaps the final point to prove for England is performing to their lofty standards when the stakes are raised, with their successful run only coming after falling out of genuine contention for the World Test Championship Final race earlier in the 2021-2023 cycle.

The 41-year old stresses that his men must continue to go with what has worked so far for them in the Ireland Test and Ashes series that will follow.

“The more that’s at stake, the more it’s important to keep it simple and relaxed, to do what gives you your greatest chance,” McCullum was quoted as saying by ICC.

“At the first sign of trouble, you can’t run away from it. Or at the first sign of all the eyeballs in the world watching you, you can’t run away from what’s been most successful for you. That’s when you should be at your clearest, keep things as simple as possible and that will be the message right throughout,” he added.