England coach believes their issues in their 3-0 ODI series loss to New Zealand are format specific
England coach Brendon McCullum has brushed off his side’s batting woes in the one-day series against New Zealand, believing they will have little bearing on the Ashes.
England went down 3-0 against the Black Caps but McCullum regards their issues in the series as format specific.
One century from Harry Brook aside, England’s top order failed to produce sufficient runs to give their bowlers the opportunity to put pressure on the home side.
McCullum, while obviously disappointed at being whitewashed in his homeland, did not think there would be any carry over into the Test series against Australia when it begins in Perth on November 21.
“I don’t envisage it,” McCullum told reporters in Wellington.
“Obviously it’s a different form of the game, and it’s a completely different kind of challenge which we’ll be confronted with as well.
“In T20 cricket, we’re going really well. I think in Test cricket, we’ve got a pretty good template of where we’re at, and I think we’ve performed reasonably well, albeit we’ve got a huge challenge in front of us.
“I think when we do come across the trickier conditions in Australia and Test cricket, I feel like we’ve got a pretty good understanding of how we’re going to go about.
“It doesn’t guarantee us anything, but it gives us a level of confidence going into that series.”
One major plus from the tour to New Zealand was the return to England colours of fast bowler Jofra Archer, who looked in good shape when he played in the final two matches of the ODI series.
Archer, who made his Test comeback in July with two appearances against India after a four-year absence from the longest format, took 3-23 in the second ODI against NZ followed by 0-53 in the third.
“Obviously he had a little bit of time off and was a little bit late to this tour, but he was training the house down in Barbados,” McCullum said.
“He’d done a lot of skill work as well as fitness work, and for him to get through two matches with his full quota of overs and build towards what’s coming in the next couple of weeks is a big bonus.”
McCullum was in charge when England drew the last Ashes series in 2023 and said he could not wait to get across the Tasman for his first taste of the rivalry on Australian soil.
“I’m excited, like proper excited,” he said. “We’re incredibly respectful of the challenge that Australia is going to present us.
“We know how hard that tour is going to be. It’s going to require a team to stay together right throughout, to be as strong as we can at trying to block out any of the outside noise.”
2025-26 NRMA Insurance Men’s Ashes
First Test: November 21-25, Perth Stadium, 1.30pm AEDT
Second Test: December 4-8, The Gabba, Brisbane (D/N), 3.30pm AEDT
Third Test: December 17-21: Adelaide Oval, 11am AEDT
Fourth Test: December 26-30: MCG, Melbourne, 10.30am AEDT
Fifth Test: January 4-8: SCG, Sydney, 10.30am AEDT
