Brendon McCullum Confident in England's Top Seven as Ashes Series Intensifies
England currently trail 2-0 in the Ashes series with three Tests remaining. The third Test is set to take place at Adelaide Oval starting Wednesday. Despite the pressure, head coach Brendon McCullum has expressed confidence in England’s batting lineup, backing the unchanged top seven and ruling out dropping Ollie Pope or moving Ben Stokes to the No 3 spot.
McCullum emphasized avoiding knee-jerk selection changes and stressed the importance of maintaining a settled batting approach to build conviction. He believes that if England deliver their best performance, they can flip the series narrative and momentum remains within reach.
Addressing speculation about his future, McCullum noted that he still has two years left on his England contract and suggested that any sacking would likely cost seven figures. However, he remains focused solely on coaching for optimal team performance rather than job security.
In terms of bowling, Josh Tongue is primed for a return. Described as a high-pace bowler capable of swinging and reverse-swinging the ball, Tongue may replace other options. Possible bowling changes include Tongue’s recall with Ollie Robinson, and options such as Luke Wood or Rehan Ahmed possibly missing out. Shoaib Bashir has strong support for the next two years with Adelaide conditions in mind, while Will Jacks is currently the team’s spinner.
McCullum also defended Jofra Archer, highlighting his ability to accelerate quickly and his pace. He argued that the narrative around Archer’s slower ground speed is often misunderstood due to the bowler’s easy action.
Among the batsmen, Joe Root is the only one averaging above 30, with Ollie Pope seen as vulnerable following the defeat at the Gabba. The team aims to avoid a whitewash and prevent the series from reaching a 3-0 scoreline.
