Brendon McCullum has declared England’s best cricket is ahead of them as they chart a route back from Ashes ruin this summer.
In their first assignment since their 4-1 drubbing in Australia, England’s Test summer begins with a three-Test series against New Zealand, live from June 4 on Sky Sports.
McCullum’s position as head coach came under scrutiny following the disastrous Ashes campaign, but having received a public vote of confidence from the ECB, he has focused on exorcising those demons by helping England fulfil their potential.
“There are elements which you know you didn’t quite get right [against Australia],” said McCullum. “We’re not too stubborn to acknowledge that we’ve made mistakes.
“If there was the 100 per cent right way to do it and there was a formula that was going to guarantee success, you would do that, but there isn’t. You’re trying to come up with what you think is your best method.
“Clearly we made a few mistakes along the way, and we’ve got to be big enough and respect that we need to make some improvements. We’ll do that. That’s the benefit of time.
“The last couple of months has given us the ability to reflect on some areas that we need to improve and some areas that you want to keep doing, that you’ve been doing really well.
“I guess our greatest challenge will be seen in the coming months, but I’m confident that our best cricket is in front of us for this side.”
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Ben Stokes reaffirmed he and Brendon McCullum are aligned with their vision and hopes they will still be working together at the end of 2027
‘A missed opportunity’
Reflecting on England’s ill-fated Ashes campaign, McCullum highlighted several fundamental flaws he hopes he and his team can address this summer.
“Obviously it was disappointing; it was disappointing for everyone,” he added. “It was disappointing for the team, the guys involved in it, all those connected. Disappointing for all the fans back in England, but also those that travelled out to Australia.
“It was a missed opportunity for us. I thought we went there rock hard, fit, ready to go. We had a huge opportunity to achieve success down in Australia. After three-and-a-half years of trying to shape something, I thought we were ready for it.
“Unfortunately, which can happen in this game, when the pressure is at its highest and the lights are at their brightest, sometimes you aren’t quite able to regather yourself and operate with the necessary poise to execute what you want to achieve. Hence we came up short against a very good Australian side.
“We had our chances and we’ll forever look back on that tour and say it was a missed opportunity, and obviously it hurt. But for us now it’s a matter of what do we do moving forward.
“How do we sharpen the set-up that we’ve built over the last four years to make it a better side, a more resilient side when the pressure is at its highest, and a more dominant side when you get the opportunity.”
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Australian cricket writer Adam Collins joined the Sunday Supplement panel to discuss if McCullum is building the right culture for England to progress
England’s upcoming Test cricket schedule
Home to New Zealand – June
First Test (Thursday June 4-Monday June 8) – Lord’s, London (11am)Second Test (Wednesday June 17-Sunday June 21) – The Kia Oval, London (11am)Third Test (Thursday June 25-Monday June 29) – Trent Bridge, Nottingham (11am)
Home to Pakistan – August and September
First Test (Wednesday August 19-Sunday August 23) – Headingley, Leeds (11am)Second Test (Thursday August 27-Monday August 31) – Lord’s, London (11am)Third Test (Wednesday September 9-Sunday September 13) – Edgbaston, Birmingham (11am)
Away to South Africa – December and January
First Test (Tuesday December 17-Saturday December 21) – Wanderers, JohannesburgSecond Test (Thursday December 26-Monday December 30) – SuperSport Park, CenturionThird Test (Sunday January 3-Thursday January 7) – Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town
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