McCullum delighted with England start, calls for more of the same against India

With
McCullum
and
Ben
Stokes
in
place
as
the
new
red-ball
coach-captain
partnership,
England
recorded
a
3-0
series
win,
with
each
triumph
including
chases
of
more
than
250
runs,
a
first
for
a
team
in
a
single
Test
series.

After
winning
just
one
of
their
previous
17
Tests,
it
represented
an
incredible
turnaround
for
England,
who
do
not
have
long
to
wait
until
their
next
outing.

With
the
rescheduled
Test
against
India
due
to
start
on
Friday
at
Edgbaston,
McCullum
is
hoping
to
see
England’s
positive
approach
replicated.

“It’ll
be
quite
good
fun
to
look
at
a
new
opponent,”
said
McCullum,
as
reported
by
ESPNcricinfo.
“The
world
Test
champions
were
a
formidable
opponent
to
overcome,
and
the
alarm
bells
have
probably
gone
off
somewhat
around
world
cricket
as
to
how
this
team
is
going
to
play.

“We
need
to
make
sure
against
a
different
opposition
we’re
well
researched,
well
planned,
well
prepared,
and
try
and
roll
out
a
similar
kind
of
performance.”

McCullum
called
for
England
to
push
their
daring
style
to
new
limits
against
India,
who
are
2-1
up
in
a
series
originally
scheduled
to
conclude
last
September.

“I
hope
we
take
it
too
far
because
then
we’ll
know
exactly
where
that
line
is.
Until
you
do
that,
you’re
not
really
sure,”
he
added.

“We’ve
seen
it
with
the
England
white-ball
stuff
–
there
have
been
times
where
they’ve
probably
pushed
too
hard,
and
then
they
know.

“I
think
it’ll
be
the
same
with
us,
and
we’ve
got
to
keep
exploring
what
that
line
is.

“It’s
not
just
about
batting
either.
If
you
look
at
how
we’ve
fielded
and
how
we’ve
bowled
as
well,
some
of
the
field
placements
that
the
skipper’s
had
in
place
and
the
mentality
the
guys
have
had,
is
constantly
to
try
and
chase
wickets.”

‘Bazball’
–
the
term
given
to
England’s
entertaining
style
under
McCullum
–
has
won
universal
praise,
but
the
head
coach
says
he
was
fortunate
to
take
on
his
new
role
when
a
clear
desire
for
change
existed.

“Timing
is
important
–
you
have
got
to
be
ready
for
change,”
McCullum
said.
“I
think
taking
over
this
job
when
the
skipper
and
I
have,
there
was
a
thirst
for
change.

“When
your
results
haven’t
been
good,
people
are
more
receptive
to
change.

“The
freshness
of
some
of
the
ideas,
the
approach,
stripping
out
some
of
the
noise,
but
[also]
getting
guys
to
play
the
game
for
the
game’s
sake.

“The
skipper
has
taken
them
on
a
journey,
I’ve
tried
to
fill
in
the
gaps
where
needed,
and
they’ve
got
instant
gratification
for
that
change.
It
doesn’t
always
happen.
But
that’s
why
those
guys
are
so
keen
on
this
style.”