England coach Brendon McCullum: "How do we provide that next shot in the arm to ensure we get people wanting to play Test cricket? By providing the greatest entertainment on the biggest stage while everyone is watching - watch The Ashes on Sky Sports from June 16
Sunday 4 June 2023 15:55, UK
The Ashes may be a series like no other but England will be treating it as a series like every other. They will continue to play a positive brand of cricket.
That's not because they are downplaying the magnitude of the five-Test contest against Australia, far from it.
For coach Brendon McCullum, the fact England are coming up against such a powerful opposition in a series that will have a huge number of people watching it gives them an even greater platform to help promote Test cricket and ensure it has a rich future.
"It shouldn't change, surely?" McCullum told Sky Sports' Ian Ward when asked whether England would adapt a blistering brand of cricket that has yielded 11 wins from 13. "The fact that it is the biggest stage you can play in is great. It's better.
"You have to be prepared to marry yourself to a position and that for us is freeing guys up to play the style of cricket that gives them the greatest amount of satisfaction and could transfer to results.
"You want to have fun, you want to enjoy yourself, you want to lose yourself and be part of something. You might not achieve it but what a great opportunity. What better stage?
"Think of all the kids around the world who are going to be watching over the next two months. All those who have football, rugby, athletics or any other sport that they could choose from - or cricket.
"We have an opportunity to captivate them and grab them to not just cricket but Test cricket, a game which needs that relevance and has been around for a hundred years.
I don't think caution is a bad thing at times as long as it doesn't hold you back. A little bit of caution stops you going off the cliff but if it is stopping your talent coming out I have a problem with it.
"How do we provide that next shot in the arm to ensure we get people wanting to play Test cricket? You do it by providing the greatest entertainment on the biggest stage while everyone is watching. That's what's in front of us. Bring it on. If it doesn't work, it's okay. We'll get up and go again."
On the grandest stage, captain Ben Stokes will once again be England's leading man.
There was the 2019 50-over World Cup final. The 2023 T20 World Cup final. That Test at Headingley four years ago. Now the most eagerly-anticipated Ashes series since 2005 awaits.
There remain doubts over whether Stokes will be able to play a full part with the ball against Australia. He is managing a longstanding knee issue and did not bowl in the off Test versus Australia at Lord's.
McCullum hopes the 32-year-old will be able to carry out his all-rounder role in the Ashes but is not willing to put his long-term health at risk.
"The skipper writes his own scripts and this is the biggest stage you can probably get. He has got something up his sleeve.
"He is going to have to push through the pain barrier at times but we know he is not afraid of that.
"We just have to make sure we monitor it. If anything, it might be that we have to pull him back at times and make sure there is longevity in there as well. He has a long life to live after cricket and I want to make sure he can do all the things he can.
"If he doesn't bowl a ball he will still have a tremendous impact in this series. He is an absolute beauty and we are so lucky to have him as our captain."
Stokes' imprint is all over this England cricket team. Positive, selfless, always looking to take the game on, always looking to win, not interested one iota in the draw.
Jonny Bairstow, Harry Brook and Ben Duckett are among the batters to have prospered under his tenure but it is the development of left-arm spinner Jack Leach that has perhaps been the most notable.
A man Sky Sports pundit Mark Butcher said had once seemed like England's "last resort" has flourished over the last year after being given confidence and aggressive fields by Stokes.
Only Australia spinner Nathan Lyon and South Africa seamer Kagiso Rabada (47) claimed more Test wickets than Leach's 46 in 2022.
The England man then struck 12 times in two games in New Zealand in February while on Thursday he picked up three scalps on the opening day against Ireland.
Stokes' fields encouraged Paul Stirling and Lorcan Tucker to take on the sweep against Leach and they ultimately perished to that shot, before the spinner bowled Curtis Campher later in the day to claim his 123rd Test wicket. He made Tucker his 124th in Ireland's second innings.
Leach said over the winter that he wished his bowling average was lower - he took his wickets at 38.28 last year - but his stock as an England bowler has probably never been higher.
McCullum said: "Leachy has quite an amazing skill of being able to make the group laugh in a pressure moment with a quick one liner and that sort of stuff is invaluable to the team.
"He has been a huge player for us on the field but also in the dressing room. What he has done with the ball in the last 12 months has been real growth.
"The skill has always been there but his acceptance that the skipper believes in him, wants him to try and take the game on, put the pressure back on the opposition rather than just operate, has been the making of him.
"The impact that mentality has for the overall package is significant."
The fact that McCullum spoke about Leach's love of a gag before his bowling exploits reiterates what this side is about. Results matter but relationships matter more.
Speaking about his philosophy, McCullum added: "Cricket has been everything to me. It has given me a great life and I will forever be thankful for that.
"It is worth remembering that and having that sincere gratitude towards the game whether you are succeeding or failing.
"The real fun for us as coaches is working with the guys, building those relationships and getting to know them as people. Seeing what their life is like and working with them on their skills.
"Whatever happens on the field happens - it's not like we don't care but it's almost secondary.
"There will be times where the players succeed and times where they fail but it's other stuff where you see them grow as cricketers and humans which is where the real fun is."
Watch The Ashes live and in full on Sky Sports Cricket. The series gets under way at Edgbaston on Friday June 16 with build-up beginning at 9.30am ahead of the first ball at 11am.
