Brendon McCullum is facing calls for his removal as England head coach after his side capitulated in Adelaide to lose the Ashes on its eleventh day of play.
The series loss is England's joint-quickest in Australia, having lost the first Test in just two days, the second in four and the third in five. Following the defeat at the Adelaide Oval, McCullum conceded that the way he prepared his side for the series "didn't work". "Retrospectively, we lost 3-0 so you would probably say there was room for change there," said McCullum. "Again, you put your hand up as a coach and say you might not have got that right."
It's England's fourth consecutive Ashes series-loss in Australia, and they have yet to win a Test match following their win in 2010/11. Their record is currently 16 losses from 18 Tests.
'McCullum must go' – Pundits debate head coach's future
Several notable pundits have called for McCullum's removal following the defeat. After England's 5-0 whitewash in 2013/14, then head coach Andy Flower stepped down as head coach of the Test team with immediate effect. In the aftermath of their 4-0 defeat in 2021/22, it was announced that Chris Silverwood would be stepping down from his role as head coach with immediate effect.
McCullum's tenure began on a high, when his appointment was the catalyst of England's turnaround following in 2022. Off the back of a record number of defeats, England beat New Zealand and South Africa at home, he went on to oversee an historic series-win in Pakistan and an Ashes draw at home the following summer against an Australia side who had just won the World Test Championship mace.
Nevertheless, England's results have since tailed off. They were beaten 4-1 by India in 2024 and lost 2-1 to Pakistan the following winter. They then capitulated to defeat on the final day of their series against India in July this year. McCullum also took charge of England's white-ball set-up last winter, presiding over their disastrous Champions Trophy campaign and defeat to New Zealand last month.
Writing in The Telegraph, Geoffrey Boycott said: "A lot of credit should go to Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes for what they have done for our cricket but it is obvious that Bazball has run its race. Hubris has taken over from common sense and that cannot be allowed to carry on. Stokes and McCullum are like men digging a hole to nowhere. If what you are doing isn’t working then stop digging. Change is absolutely necessary to step up to the next level. What would I do? Change the coach. We are tired of this duo talking a good game but not delivering against the best teams so Rob Key, it is time for you to assert yourself."
Also writing in The Telegraph, Michael Vaughan said: "It’s never nice to see people lose their jobs but we cannot pretend that Rob Key, Brendon McCullum and those around them are not under massive pressure."
Speaking on TalkSport, former England fast-bowler Steve Harmison was clear on whether he thought the head coach should stay in his job. "McCullum's the one for me, he's the one for me that I think he's the only one that I would not go the next part of the journey with if I was in charge here," said Harmison. "Because I think he's brainwashed Key and Stokes in how the coach wants his teams to prepare."
Some, however, have backed McCullum to continue. Writing for BBC Sport, Jonathan Agnew said: "If McCullum, who is also scheduled to lead England at a T20 World Cup in February, is serious about reviewing what has gone wrong and accepting there have been mistakes, then those two [Stokes and McCullum] can go forwards together as a partnership."
England will have just four days to re-group before the Boxing Day Test match at the MCG. Australia will likely be missing Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon for that match, after the former admitted he is unlikely to play and Lyon picked up an injury at the Adelaide Oval.
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