India and England ended their five-Test match outing. After facing a defeat of 28 runs in the first Test against England, Team India made a remarkable comeback. After that, they registered four consecutive Test wins. Due to the fact, they bagged the series by a 4-1 margin. After the Test series defeat, England’s ‘Bazball’ concept was criticized badly. After the series loss, England coach Brendon McCullum acknowledges that the England team has been laid bare and vulnerable during their campaign in India.
McCullum After the Defeat:
Speaking after the fifth Test’s loss in Dharamsala, McCullum admitted that England’s bold and ultra-attacking approach, known as Bazball, faced significant exposure. It’s now crucial for honest discussions in the dressing room to ensure players remain committed to their aim of entertaining the fans.
He said, “Sometimes, you can get away with things,” McCullum said. “But when you’re exposed the way we have been in the back end of this series in particular, it does require some pretty deep thinking and some adjustment to make sure we’re staying true to what we believe in.”
Later he added, “If anything, we got more timid as the series went on, and that was because of the pressure that was applied to us by the Indian line-up, not just with the ball. With the bat, they put us under a tremendous amount of pressure, too.”
Along with that, he added, “There are some things where you can get a little bit of luck on your side and you paper over a couple of the cracks. When you are exposed in the way we have been here, you know that you have to get better in some areas. The next couple of months will be us working out that and making sure when we come to the summer we are a more refined version of what we are at the minute.
On India’s Form:
McCullum expressed that India outperformed England in the style of cricket they aimed to pursue, causing doubts to arise within the team. This acknowledgment highlights the need for a reevaluation of England’s approach to ensure competitiveness and address uncertainties in its cricketing strategy.
While talking about India’s form, McCullum said, “Credit to India for the way that they played. They are always under a lot of pressure as well because of the expectations on their side and for them to be able to handle that during those moments shows how good a cricket team they are in their own conditions; they probably outplayed us at the style of cricket that we want to play and made us start to retreat a little bit so that’s something that we will have to change.”
Later he added, “We didn’t get what we came here for. We’ve learnt a lot out of this tour. India outplayed us, they outskilled us and in the clutch moments were just too good for us really.”
Regaining Team’s Strength:
McCullum acknowledges that his team’s strategy was laid bare in the series against India. Recognizing the need for a reset, he emphasizes the importance of addressing multiple aspects to avoid repeating mistakes in the upcoming home summer, signaling a call for introspection and strategic adjustments within the squad.
The English coach said, “There are some things where you can get a little bit of luck on your side and you paper over a couple of the cracks. When you are exposed to the way we have been here, you know that you have to get better in some areas.”
Later he added, “The next couple of months will be us working out that and making sure when we come to the summer, we are a more refined version of what we are at the minute.”
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