Adelaide, Dec 14:England head coach Brendon McCullum has signalled continuity rather than upheaval ahead of the pivotal third Ashes Test against Australia, indicating that the visitors are unlikely to make changes to their batting line-up despite slipping 2-0 behind in the five-match series.
With England facing the prospect of losing the Ashes if they fail to win at the Adelaide Oval, which hosts the day-night Test beginning on Wednesday, questions had been raised over potential changes to the top order. Number three Ollie Pope and wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith were among those whose places had come under scrutiny following defeats in the opening two Tests.
However, McCullum suggested England will persist with their established top seven. “I would have thought so,” he said when asked if the batting line-up would remain unchanged. “We’ve been in positions where we’ve made some mistakes, and that can happen. But if we are going to win this series, it’s not about throwing out what has worked for us over the last few years. It’s about showing more conviction.”
The England coach reiterated that reactive decision-making is not part of the team’s philosophy. “Knee-jerk reactions and chopping and changing settled batting line-ups is not really our way,” he added.
McCullum’s comments came during an unusual pre-Test media appearance, which he explained was prompted by the gravity of England’s position in the series. With the urn firmly within Australia’s grasp, the Adelaide Test represents England’s last chance to shift momentum.
While the batting appears set, England may yet reshuffle their bowling attack, particularly given the conditions expected in Adelaide. High temperatures are forecast for the opening days, increasing the likelihood of spinner Shoaib Bashir being recalled to the XI. Bashir, England’s first-choice spinner according to captain Ben Stokes, was overlooked in Brisbane in favour of all-rounder Will Jacks. The 22-year-old Bashir has not played a Test since July after suffering a broken finger and has endured a difficult tour so far, returning figures of 2 for 266 across two warm-up matches. Nevertheless, McCullum left the door open for his inclusion, along with seamer Josh Tongue, should England opt to freshen their pace attack. Tongue could come in at the expense of Gus Atkinson.
“We need to have a look at the conditions,” McCullum said. “We have a squad of 16 here, and in a five-Test series you know you’re going to have to call upon the majority, if not all of them. We’ll work out what we think is the best option to be successful in these conditions.”
Beyond selection, the England coach also addressed speculation around his own future.
Heavy Ashes defeats have often triggered structural changes in England cricket, and with this series having been billed as a prime opportunity to reclaim the urn, another setback would bring intense scrutiny on McCullum, Stokes and director of cricket Rob Key — despite all three being contracted through to the 2027 home Ashes. (Agencies)
