Credited with introducing the ultra-aggressive ‘Bazball’ brand of batting, England coach Brendon McCullum aims to “play very watchful style of cricket” in the limited overs series against Gautam Gambhir’s India. While McCullum has been credited extensively for revolutionising England’s red-ball cricket, his counterpart Gambhir has been in the line of fire over the last few months, owing to a poor run of results. While recent results a different story, McCullum still rates Gambhir extremely high as a ‘leader’, having worked with him in the past.
“What I will say about Gautam Gambhir is I’ve worked with him before and he’s an outstanding leader. He’s a really strong leader of men and in the time that he’s had in any sort of leadership positions which he’s held previously, he’s been able to excel I’m sure,” McCullum said ahead of the first T20I.
“He’s only just sort of got underway with this team but there’s no doubt that he’ll be the best out of the talent that he’s got and we’ve got to find a way to be able to counter that with our style,” McCullum added.
The upcoming assignment against India will be McCullum’s first in white-ball cricket, having coached the Test team with plenty of success since May 2022.
“I know it’s going to be a tough tour, taking on a very good Indian side, but I’m sure we’ll play what I hope is a very watchful style of cricket,” McCullum told reporters here.
The tour begins with the first of the five-match T20I series at Eden Gardens on Wednesday, followed by three one-day internationals.
“It’s great, actually. That’s really exciting, I think. Obviously, we’ve known for a couple of months this was going to unfold, and it’s been great.” The ODI series is seen as dress rehearsal for both teams ahead of the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy, which will be held in Pakistan and Dubai from February 19.
“We’ll use the next few weeks to try and hit the ground running, I’m sure there will be some times where we don’t quite get it right,” he said.
“But, hopefully, we will chisel away at that over the next few weeks, and we’ll be in good shape come that Champions Trophy.” The 43-year-old was appointed England’s white-ball coach in September, succeeding Matthew Mott, and he will now juggle between his role as Test coach while guiding the limited-overs side.
In India, England will play five T20Is and three ODIs.
Despite England’s penchant for power-hitting, McCullum emphasised the importance of adapting to conditions and making the most of their resources.
“You won’t win every game we play, right? We’re fiercely competitive and want to be successful, but for us, the conversations in the dressing room are different. It’s about getting the best out of the talent we have, gelling the guys together, and finding the right complementary skills.” He acknowledged that the team has all the ingredients to succeed in India.
“We’ve got a batting lineup that’s as powerful as any in the world. We’ve got gun spinners, top fielders, and guys who bowl absolute rockets with the ball. It’s about using those strengths to entertain and maximise our chances.”
With PTI Inputs
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