Although there is still a match remaining for England in the series, it is anticipated that the ECB will interfere in Brendon McCullum’s future plans with the English Test squad. It is understood that top ECB officials will be travelling to Australia for discussions with the England management during their tour.
The loss in the Ashes Test series has been a major factor in England’s early exits from tournaments and their overall strategies. Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes, the much-applauded duo of England have found it hard to cope with the disciplined Australians who have exposed the weaknesses of Bazball.
Winning the fourth Test at the MCG has signalled that England is gradually getting back on track. Nonetheless, this victory has been called an absolute lottery by cricket gurus, since the pitch was totally unpredictable and was adjudged to be unfit for playing.
Talks planned between ECB chief executive and Brendon McCullum in Australia
The England’s draw with the Australian team may have one Test left; but nevertheless, the ECB executives are jetting off to the island nation for a face-to-face talk with the touring party. According to the Daily Mail, it is Richard Gould who is going to Sydney for the decisive discussion about the England head coach, Brendon McCullum’s future.
England not just lost the three-match series played in Australia but also got completely beaten by the rival team. The Australians were well and truly on top of the English in all innings of the first three Tests; sometimes, they even came from behind and defeated the English that led to increased humiliation.
The fourth Test simply cemented the negative impact of the series loss in Australia on and the very bad manner in which they lost those games. The cluelessness of Brendon McCullum has made things worse as he has mentioned over-preparation and at one time said that things just didn’t go as planned, instead of acknowledging that they simply failed to deliver.
Sudden ECB visit will focus on a series debrief
The ECB’s sudden visit to Australia is probably for taking care of matters. McCullum’s utterances are signaling that he is aspiring to continue being the coach of the England National Men’s team. His contract with the ECB is also believed to last until the ICC World Cup 2027.
McCullum, who went through a tough time, still has the support of the dressing room, as even senior players like Joe Root, who is now a living legend in Europe, have remarked that it is not wise to change the management in the middle of the course.
Debrief on the Ashes series that went wrong and if the current England structure is providing Ben Stokes with the credit and support needed for long hours would be the immediate focus of the visit.
Bazball looks at SCG to remain standing its ground for survival
England will be forced to tackle much bigger issues than just saying goodbye to Brendon McCullum. The very essence of the Bazball concept has often been questioned along with the player picking philosophy. The players need to have a clear understanding of when to step on the gas and when to control the match.
The Sydney Test is a very important match for England, not only because a victory would alleviate England’s reputation with a 3-2 defeat in the Ashes, but also because it would give McCullum and Stokes the clear approach and help them during the post-Ashes post-mortem.
In the coming year, England still has a number of key series, including hosting New Zealand for a three-match series and then hosting Pakistan later this year for another home series. Before these home series, England would aim to recover the Bazball momentum.
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