In the recently finished Test series, England defeated the West Indies 3-0 at home, leaving head coach Brendon McCullum happy with his team’s progress. The Three Lions’ series represented a major comeback after their 1-4 loss in India earlier in the year.
McCullum had pledged to improve the Bazball style of play following the underwhelming showing in India. England’s batting has changed somewhat in the Test match, and the series against the West Indies offered the ideal platform to highlight this progress. McCullum conveyed his delight regarding the development made by the team.
“It’s really satisfying, the growth of the side in general, Sometimes, when you lose, you get a period of reflection and what we’ve seen is a team that has bounced back with a bit more of a harder feel to it,” McCullum was cited by as saying.
The manager admitted that although England is not yet perfect, they have come a long way towards being a competitive team at home and overseas.
“We’re beginning to see some progress in the group’s comprehension of our desired team dynamic. Yes, we’re not the finished product, but this has been a positive start. You are beginning to assemble a team capable of competing with the world’s top teams. It was very fulfilling because this series had sensitive moments and truly put us to the test,” he continued.
We were aware that we needed to improve on a few things: Brendon McCullum
Jamie Smith and Gus Atkinson were among the fresh faces added to the England team throughout the series. Atkinson took 22 wickets in three Test matches, and Smith amassed over 200 runs at a strike rate of around 72, demonstrating the extraordinary skill of these newcomers. The head coach gave them high marks for their work.
“Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Jamie Smith, and more players have demonstrated that playing international cricket is where they belong, and they have performed as such. From that perspective, as well as the side’s overall growth, it’s incredibly fulfilling,” he continued.
Along with it, the coach praised Chris Woakes’s performance, who filled in for James Anderson as the leader of the fast-bowling pack. Woakes’ ability to reverse the ball on flat surfaces and secure vital wickets was commended by McCullum.
Also Read: “We knew we needed to make a couple of improvements” – Brendon McCullum on barring experienced players from West Indies Tests
“He was able to take some wickets in the West Indies series with his style of bowling, which involved reversing the ball on these flat surfaces.” He’s a terrific cricket player who hasn’t perhaps played as much as he could have for his country, but when he has, he has performed admirably,” McCullum said.
Home