England’s head coach, Brendon McCullum, has asked for some humility to come forth from his players as the buildup begins towards a riveting stretch. Starting from next Thursday, Trent Bridge would see Zimbabwe play a lone four-day Test before they would then host India in a thrilling five-match Test series and head to Australia for the carnival known as the Ashes.
England had tough times against Pakistan and white-ball cricket following a winter series in New Zealand where they won 2-1, and some statements made by some of the players to the media also raised some eyebrows. Rob Key, the cricket director of England, expressed that they should begrudgingly keep their unwise comments to themselves after yet another letdown at the Champions Trophy. Mark Wood, too, added that from time to time they can be “a bit dumb.”
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The way he (McCullum) wants the team to go away from just big statements and start connecting with the fans. “[W]e want the English fans to feel they’re part of this journey with us. We’ve missed some chances and maybe haven’t been smart enough with our comments.”
Englishman faced criticism for their Champions Trophy preparation for less of training and more for playing too many rounds of golf, according to former captain Kevin Pietersen. McCullum urged the players to learn from those mistakes and start forging a relationship with the supporters.
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He emphasized that it’s not just about performance on the field but also about how they present themselves to the public. “It’s about being humble and staying in touch with everyone,” he said.
England should easily defeat a Zimbabwean team that has won just a single Test in the past four years. However, the matches ahead against India and Australia would be a different kind of challenge altogether. According to McCullum, standing atop one of these big teams would be a champion moment for him and his players. He added, “We’re number two in the world, which is great, but there’s still a lot more we can achieve. It’s time to aim higher and see how far we can take this team.”
