England head coach Brendon McCullum has stated that the team will not abandon their attacking “Bazball” style despite the Ashes defeat against Australia. The former New Zealand skipper said he does not believe in tearing everything apart after one setback but is open to adapting and improving.
England’s aggressive “Bazball” approach came under pressure during the Ashes, which ended in a 4-1 defeat. Apart from a single win at the MCG, the style struggled to deliver consistent results. The series exposed its weaknesses against a disciplined Australian team, raising questions about the approach.
It Is Not About Ripping Up Our Script – Brendon McCullum
Brendon McCullum backed England’s playing style after the Ashes defeat. He said the team has improved since he took charge and cannot change its approach because of one tough series. McCullum added that progress should come through improvement.
“It is not about ripping up our script completely. From when we took over to where we are now, we are a better cricket team. I take offence to [any suggestion I don’t want to evolve]. I am not against evolution, I welcome it,” Brendon McCullum told Sky Sports.
“I am not rigid in my beliefs but I have conviction in my methods. That doesn’t mean you are blind to progress but to throw everything out that has worked in pursuit of something completely unknown doesn’t make any sense,” he added.
I Am Keen to Carry On in the Role – Brendon McCullum
Brendon McCullum also said that he wants to continue as England’s head coach despite the Ashes defeat. He stated that England have a better chance to improve over the next few years. He called the series a missed opportunity but remained confident in the long-term plan.
“I am keen to carry on in the role. Those decisions ultimately aren’t up to me but the lessons we will digest from this tour and what we have built, it would be a shame to rip that up and chase something no one knows whether it will be successful,” McCullum stated.
“If we stay true to what we believe in we give ourselves a good opportunity to progress as a team over the next few years. In this series, we have been pretty poor in the key moments so it was a real missed opportunity,” he added.
Brendon McCullum Faces Growing Pressure Despite Strong Early Record
Brendon McCullum began his stint as England’s Test coach with 12 wins from 13 games. However, the team failed to qualify for the ICC World Test Championship in the first three cycles. England have lost six of their first 10 matches in the current WTC cycle and are placed seventh in the standings.
McCullum remains under contract for two more years and is likely to stay at least until the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. He has overseen 26 wins from 46 Tests, including a historic 3-0 series victory in Pakistan, giving England a better win rate than the previous era under Joe Root.
England face a busy Test schedule ahead, with home series against New Zealand and Pakistan, followed by tours of South Africa and Bangladesh.
For now, England will shift focus to white-ball cricket with an upcoming tour of Sri Lanka before opening their T20 World Cup campaign on February 8 against Nepal at the Wankhede Stadium.
Also read: England boss announces Ashes 2027 win in bombshell statement after humiliation in Australia
