Despite being 2-0 down in the Ashes, England will not abandon their style of play, and there is no fear of losing his job, says England coach Brendon McCullum.
McCullum signed a new contract last year, running until the end of 2027. However, a series defeat in the Ashes could put pressure on him. The England coach, though, insists there is no shadow of such fear in his mind, and he does not coach with job security in mind.
On their Ashes campaign in Australia, England lost the first two Tests, drawing criticism toward the coach, captain, and other players.
Among the team’s top seven batsmen, only Joe Root has an average above thirty. Questions have been raised about the batting approach and dismissals of the others. England’s former players and analysts have also criticized the team’s ‘bad-ball’ strategies, with McCullum receiving the brunt of the scrutiny.
McCullum acknowledges his team’s failures but says England will not abandon or change their approach ahead of the third Test in Adelaide.
“We came here with very high expectations, and we are not meeting them at the moment. That doesn’t mean we throw away what has worked in the past. Rather, we need to ensure we fix a couple of areas that give us the best chance,” he said.
“We haven’t been able to give our best, and we have to admit that. There’s no opportunity to step away from it. No one to point fingers at. Instead, we need to think about how to stay united, how successful we can be given the situation, and go back on the field to try again. If we fail, 2-0 can quickly turn into 5-0.”
If it does become 5-0, it’s almost certain McCullum would not remain England coach, though he claims he never thinks about that. For now, his focus is on winning while staying true to their style and changing the series’ course.
“The fear of losing my job doesn’t concern me. I don’t coach thinking about job security. I coach to get the best out of the boys and the captain (Stokes),” he said.
“We will remain committed to what we have done, try to build confidence within the team, and give ourselves the best chance to win. I strongly believe that if we play to our potential, we have a great chance in this Test. If we can do that, the story changes, and so does the momentum of the series.”
The third Test in Adelaide begins on Wednesday.
