The Ashes: England coach Brendon McCullum admits to error on tourists' preparation after Australia seal victory
England's preparations for the Ashes have come under major scrutiny during their dismal showing in Australia; England played just one-warm up against their own development side before the first Test; head coach Brendon McCullum has admitted to making an error
Sunday 21 December 2025 10:38, UK
Brendon McCullum has accepted responsibility for not getting England's Ashes preparation right after his side lost the third Test and succumbed to a series defeat to Australia in just 11 days of cricket.
Australia completed an 82-run victory over England in Adelaide on Sunday - following eight-wicket wins in Perth and Brisbane - to retain the Ashes and equal the shortest period in which the historic contest has been decided in the last 100 years.
England's tour schedule, which included just one warm-up fixture against their own England Lions development squad, raised concerns before the series and came under more scrutiny when they lost the first Test in Perth inside two days.
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McCullum then enraged a portion of English fans and media by saying his side had "overprepared" for the second Test by holding too many training sessions, after they were defeated in Brisbane.
Speaking to TNT Sports after the third Test, McCullum brought up the topic of preparation as he reflected on where England had gone wrong.
"I know that'll be something that's questioned," he said. "And when you've lost 3-0, you've got to put your hand up and say, 'maybe I didn't get that preparation right'.
"And that's not just leading into the first game, but it's, 'could we have done more leading into game one and could we have done less leading into game two?'
"It's trying to work out those things, and ultimately, you're responsible for that. You put your hand up and say 'I didn't get that right' because we've lost 3-0.
'High expectations constrained us'
The series began with most expecting a tight contest between two sides that drew 2-2 in England in 2023, but it quickly turned one sided.
Very few of the players who have starred under McCullum and captain Ben Stokes have been able to deliver anything close to their best across the opening three games.
McCullum explained that he believed England's determination to do well and high expectations actually ultimately "constrained" their ability to succeed.
Asked whether his side had been caught out by the intensity and scrutiny of an Ashes series in Australia, he replied: "No, I don't think it's caught us by surprise.
"I think we anticipated it, but I think there's ways that you can deal with it, and there's ways where you can try and block it out, or there's ways where you just lean into it, accept it, and just see it as a privilege that you're in a position to be able to try and entertain and to be able to capture eyeballs and to do people proud.
"And I think we were so determined to do that. We had such high expectations and hopes for this series that we just almost, it just constrained us a little bit. So, we weren't able to deal with it."
Some of England's best cricket came in the latter stages of the third Test, with wicketkeeper Jamie Smith impressing as he struck a counter-attacking 60 on the final day to briefly raise hopes of a record run chase.
McCullum added: "I do feel like the last day and a half, two days, it's probably been our best cricket, and that's because we've just played.
"I feel like the previous sort of nine days, we were so caught up and so driven to achieve something and succeed that we've almost got in our own way, and we've stymied our talent and our skill and our ability.
"It's only been the last two days we've kind of let go and just played that we've actually competed and probably had our best two days of the tour, so there's a lesson in that.
"There's a lesson not just for the players. There's a lesson for the coach and the coaching staff as well that how do you free guys up when the pressure is at its highest rather than having to wait until these last two days?"
Ashes series in Australia 2025-26
Australia lead five-match series 3-0
- First Test (Perth): Australia beat England by eight wickets
- Second Test (Brisbane): Australia beat England by eight wickets
- Third Test: Australia beat England by 82 runs
- Fourth Test: Friday December 26 - Tuesday December 30 (Melbourne)
- Fifth Test: Sunday January 4 - Thursday January 8 (Sydney)
