England head coach Brendon McCullum branded his first taste of Ashes cricket “a great heavyweight fight” and is already anticipating a rumble Down Under in 2025.
McCullum’s side were on the ropes at 2-0 down but hit back to square a thrilling series 2-2, and would surely have been celebrating an outright victory had rain not halted England in the fourth Test at Old Trafford. If the contest had been settled on judges’ scorecards, the urn would surely have been heading home.
The hosts ultimately settled for a share of the spoils on a rousing final day at the Kia Oval, where Chris Woakes and the retiring duo of Moeen Ali and Stuart Broad toppled the tourists to seal a 49-run win and maintain their year-long undefeated streak in Test series under the New Zealander.
An Australia team who came into the Ashes as newly-crowned Test world champions provided the stiffest challenge yet of the ‘Bazball’ blueprint, and McCullum was enthralled enough by what he saw to cast his eyes towards a rematch that lies two-and-a-half years away.
“I’ve looked from afar at the Ashes and to now be a part of it and witness how special it is is something quite incredible. I don’t want it to end actually,” said McCullum, who traded a few blows with the Australians during his own time with New Zealand.
“I think we should go round again and have another five Tests, keep doing what we’re doing. It’s been an incredible six weeks and I’m really proud to be sharing a dressing room with the England boys.
“But you’re sharing this series with the Aussie boys too. They walk away with the urn but both teams walk away with two victories under their belt. I think both sides have stayed true to their styles and that’s what makes a great heavyweight fight. It’s two different styles and total conviction in them.
“When you look back to when the skipper (Ben Stokes), thinking would we be able to take on a great Australian team – and they are a great Australian team – and go toe to toe with them? I think the answer is yes and that’s a tremendous confidence booster for the group.
“The next one is obviously a little way away and there’s certainly different challenges to cross before then. If we look at the growth of the team in the last 14-15 months it has been quite significant.
“There will be some new faces for both sides in two-and-a-half years, no doubt, but I’d imagine again it could be another cracking series when the time comes. But firstly we’re letting this one sink in and enjoying it.”
England do not play Test cricket again until January’s trip to India but McCullum already has two holes to fill, with Broad and Moeen bowing out on a high. The seam bowling ranks are looking distinctly well travelled too, with James Anderson (41), Chris Woakes (34) and Mark Wood (33) the men in possession.
Word has already been passed around the county circuit that England want to see Test hopefuls put their names forward by playing the same kind of fearless, selfless cricket McCullum and Stokes favour and events of the past seven weeks have surely left plenty with an appetite to join the fun.
“I certainly hope so. Naturally places do come up when guys come to the end of their careers so there will be opportunities there,” he said.
“We’re starting to build some nice depth in batting and bowling as well, so that’s encouraging and will pose some good conversations moving forward.
“What you’re trying to do is not only inspire the next generation but the layer underneath the top team, to have them understand how we’re going to play and work out in their own heads where they fit within that and try to force a place.
“Broady and Mo for a second are two incredible cricketers but also wonderful people and great characters in the dressing room. We’ll miss them, no doubt, but they have left a huge imprint on the side. It’s been great to have them around and I’m sure their legacies will carry on to the next generation.”
In the short term, McCullum will take a back seat for the rest of the year. His white-ball counterpart Matthew Mott will take charge of English ambitions in the meantime, with this autumn’s 50-over World Cup defence the next major goal.
And despite likening his side to prize fighters, McCullum expects to see his players divide their time between the cricket pitch and the golf course until he next sees them.
“What will be really important for the time India comes will be trying to dial back into what we’ve achieved in the last 14-15 months and trying to make sure the team turns up with the same clarity of thought when we go about things,” he said.
“Until then I’m sure the boys will have a good time. They’ll score some runs, take some wickets and we’ll all make some birdies.”
Powell fancies Windies chances against Sri Lanka amid unpredictable conditions
West Indies captain Rovman Powell is embracing the challenge to come as he leads his team into the first encounter of a highly anticipated three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka on Sunday.
Having touched down in the Subcontinent to less-than-ideal weather conditions, Powell declared his squad's readiness to battle not only their opposition but also the elements.
First ball is 9:30am Eastern Caribbean time and 8:30am in Jamaica.
"It's always challenging for a West Indies team to tour Sri Lanka. Fortunately for us, we have guys that have toured Sri Lanka before and it's also an opportunity for guys to get their feet wet in conditions that will play the next T20 World cup," Powell said in a pre-game interview.
"A lot of rain has been around as well since we've been here on Thursday. It's typical Sri Lankan conditions because the ball will spin and grip, and they tend to make those type of wickets for their advantage. But this is a West Indies team that has quality spinners also, so we're definitely looking for the challenge," he added.
Adaptation is something Powell has grown used to throughout his career and, as such, knows the importance of experience.
Alongside senior players like Shai Hope, Roston Chase, Romario Shepherd, and others, Powell aims to set the tone early for the team, especially for rising talents such as Terrence Hinds, Shamar Springer, and others, as he emphasized the value of leadership, not just through words but by example.
"Yeah, I think it's exciting times for new talents to come through in the T20 setup. You know, it's also important for me as a leader to lead from the front. You know, once I lead from the front, the young guys will naturally follow. Myself and a few other experienced guys are here, so hopefully we can lead from the front so that young Terrence Hinds and Shamar springer, those guys would follow," Powell stated.
The Sri Lankan team, known for its craftiness in home conditions, will be no easy task. But Powell's confidence in his squad remains steady.
"Yeah, a Sri Lankan team at home is always challenging; you know, world cricket need a good Sri Lanka team just as much as they need a good West Indies team. It goes well to see both teams playing good cricket at the moment, so it should be a fascinating series and I think our guys are upbeat about our chances of playing Sri Lanka and beating Sri Lanka at home," the Jamaican noted.
With his eyes set on victory, Powell is hoping his team can continue to command the support of Caribbean fans with another series of quality performances.
"I think for the last 12 months or so, the Caribbean have been rallying around us. When we play our home games, they have supported us in their numbers in the stadium. Now provides a different challenge where they have to wake up early in the morning and tune in, whether it be via radio or via TV, but hopefully we can put on a good show for them and I'm sure once we are playing good cricket, they will look forward to watching us," he ended.
Samson proved no one bigger than the team, says India captain Yadav
India captain Suryakumar Yadav praised a 'selfless' Sanju Samson after his maiden T20I century helped the hosts defeat Bangladesh by 133 runs and win the series 3-0 on Saturday.
Samson's 111-run knock, which came off just 47 balls, helped India storm to 297-6 after batting first, before they restricted the tourists to 164-7 in the third match of the series in Hyderabad.
The 29-year-old reached his century in just 40 balls to become the second fastest among India's batters to bring up a T20I ton after Rohit Sharma's 35-ball century against Sri Lanka in 2017.
"I think we've achieved a lot as a team. I had said we wanted to have selfless cricketers and want to be a selfless team and enjoy each other's performances. That camaraderie is coming off," Yadav said after the game.
"Gautam Gambhir said the same thing before the series that no one is bigger than the team, no matter if you are on 49 or 99, you have to hit the ball out of the field. That's what Sanju [Samson] did today."
Samson, who hit 11 fours and eight sixes, also became the seventh India opener to score a ton and his strike rate of 236.2 was second only to Sharma among Indians when scoring a T20I ton.
He was ably supported by Yadav, who reached 75 from 35 balls before Ravi Bishnoi picked up three wickets and Mayank Yadav took two to keep Bangladesh at bay.
A memorable evening
Sanju Samson smashed the second fastest T20I century for #TeamIndia , off just 40 deliveries
Live - https://t.co/ldfcwtHGSC #INDvBAN | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/UC7Iy1j6yY
— BCCI (@BCCI) October 12, 2024
"We have to be flexible when it comes to batting and bowling. Bowlers have to chip in. Batters have to be flexible, and their performances were commendable," the captain added.
India also posted commanding wins against their opponents in the first two matches on their way to winning their 16th consecutive T20I series at home, where they are unbeaten since 2019.
As for Bangladesh, captain Najmul Hossain Shanto indicated it will be a case of going back to the drawing board.
"We didn't play our best cricket. We didn't execute our plans as a batting unit. For a couple of overs, we bowled well in some matches, but today we didn't bowl well," Shanto said.
"We need to believe in ourselves that we can compete against any team. We need to change our home wickets and players need to take responsibility.
"The way [Towhid] Hridoy batted today was impressive. I liked that the seamers were trying to execute their plans. Our top order needs to improve though."
India will next be in action against New Zealand as the sides play the first of three Tests in Bengaluru from Wednesday.
Charles returns home to welcome party after CPL triumph with St. Lucia Kings
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