'Don't Want To Be Told What To Do': Under-Pressure England Coach Brendon McCullum Declares After Ashes Loss
England head coach Brendon McCullum indicated that he is open to adjusting his approach somewhat but emphasised that he is "not for being told what to do" after the team's loss in the Sydney Test
England head coach Brendon McCullum indicated that he is open to adjusting his approach somewhat but emphasised that he is "not for being told what to do" after the team's loss in the Sydney Test on Thursday. England suffered a 4-1 defeat in the Ashes series, with only a single Test win in Melbourne. However, that win was merely a consolation, as they lost the first three Tests in Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide, allowing the Aussies to reclaim the urn in just 11 days.
"I'm all for progress and evolution in all sports. From my point of view, I have firm beliefs in what works, some areas where you want to keep improving, and some areas where you think you can evolve," McCullum told the BBC's Test Match Special.
"I'm not against assistance, but I also have a firm belief in how to get the best out of these players. From my point of view, I'll look at it individually and say, 'Right, what could I have done better?' and 'What could I improve on?' Am I for being told what to do? Of course I'm not.
"But at the same time, I'm not pig-headed enough to think there aren't some areas we can improve on. Once we digest what's unfolded over the last two months and start to plot and plan a way forward, if you're the man in the chair to do so, then you do so with a similar conviction in your methods - albeit with a couple of tweaks," he added.
After the team's defeat in the fifth and final game of the series, the England and Wales Cricket Board's Chief Executive Officer Richard Gould stated that a "thorough review" is already underway, adding that Ben Stokes and Co. will take lessons from this tour and focus on regaining the Ashes in 2027.
England's next assignment includes a white-ball tour to Sri Lanka and the T20 World Cup. Their next Test series is scheduled for June against New Zealand at home, and Gould mentioned that essential changes will be made in the coming months
England Cricket Team
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Brendon McCullum