Ashes humbling doesn’t shake Brendon McCullum’s commitment as England coach

Despite another chastening Ashes tour in Australia, Brendon McCullum remains determined to continue.

As England head coach, insisting the side has made progress even as the latest defeat places the Bazball project under renewed scrutiny.

Australia’s 82-run victory in the third Test in Adelaide sealed an unassailable 3-0 lead inside 11 days, retaining the Ashes with two matches still to play. The loss extended England’s miserable record Down Under, where they have now gone 18 Tests without a win, drawing only twice during that stretch. For a team that arrived talking up the possibility of a surprise, the speed and scale of the collapse has been sobering.

Speaking after the defeat, McCullum made clear his desire to stay on, even while acknowledging uncertainty over his long-term future. “Yeah, it’s a pretty good gig,” McCullum said. “It’s good fun. You travel the world with the lads and try to play some exciting cricket and achieve some things.

“I’m enjoying the time I’ve got with these guys. We’re not the finished article, but I think we’ve improved from where we were. We’ve had an identity about us. “Now’s the time, in the last two Tests, to really show that identity and try to salvage something from it.”

The defeat marked the fourth consecutive Ashes tour in Australia in which England have effectively been knocked out after three Tests. While such failures have traditionally prompted major changes, both McCullum and captain Ben Stokes have publicly signalled their intention to continue. Both are contracted through to 2027, with Stokes — despite branding England’s performances “poor” — reaffirming his commitment to the captaincy.

Criticism has largely centred on England’s preparation. The tourists played just one three-day warm-up match, against England Lions at Lilac Hill, before the opening Test in Perth — a decision that has since come under heavy scrutiny.

McCullum accepted that mistakes may have been made.

“Ultimately you are responsible for how you get your side ready,” he said. “We had conviction in our methods, but sitting here 3-0, it didn’t work. “You look back and think, did we need more leading into the first Test, and less between the first and second? Retrospectively, there was room for change.”

However, McCullum was adamant that England’s aggressive philosophy would remain intact. “We’ve built this team around a certain skill set and a style of cricket,” he said. “That’s not going to change while I’m still in the job.”

McCullum’s position is further complicated by his expanded remit. Earlier this year, he took over as England’s white-ball coach following Matthew Mott’s departure and is set to lead the side at the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka in February.

Asked whether he would still be Test coach when England host New Zealand in June, McCullum was candid. “I don’t know — it’s not really up to me,” he said. “You just try to learn the lessons, make adjustments and keep doing the job. Those decisions are for someone else.”

Those decisions now rest with England managing director Rob Key, who is due to address the media in Melbourne.