Justin Langer critical of England approach but Brendon McCullum retains belief in game plan after opening Ashes defeat
Updated 23/11/2025 at 15:28 GMT
Brendon McCullum insists that England are still "big believers" in their game plan despite defeat in their opening Ashes Test against Australia. The visitors suffered an eight-wicket loss in Perth. Travis Head was the star of the show with 123 runs off 83 balls during a delightful second-innings display. The second Test will get underway in Brisbane next month, live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
'Never want us to go away from our style' - McCullum defends England strategy after first Test loss
Video credit: TNT Sports
Brendon McCullum insists that England still believe in their game plan despite falling to an eight-wicket defeat against Australia in the opening Test of the NRMA Insurance men’s Ashes series.
Travis Head enjoyed a superb display with the bat in Australia’s second innings, his 123-run haul off 83 balls condemning England to a big defeat.
The visitors appeared to be in control until a batting collapse saw them go from 65-2 to 164 all out during their second innings.
Former Australia head coach and TNT Sports expert Justin Langer criticised a section of England's batting line-up for failing to respect the conditions they were playing under while choosing their shots.
"I know Harry Brook plays an aggressive style, but you must respect the game and the conditions you play in," he said. "A classic Perth dismissal that.
"Then, of course, this was the big one, Joe Root was wide, and his feet were nowhere near the ball.
"The margin for error is so small for batters on these bouncy wickets, he has got to get a lot closer to the ball than that."
However, McCullum says that his side still believe in their game plan, and that they are capable of bouncing back as the series progresses.
"We think we will let the dust settle tonight, and then we will start mapping out a plan as coaches," he said.
"We will try and work out if some of the guys will benefit from that or if keeping the group tight and trying to ensure that confidence levels don’t drop is the right thing to do.
"So we will work it out, we will let the dust settle on it now, it has all come quite quickly and we are obviously disappointed with the outcome.
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'You must respect the game and conditions' - England's batting collapse dissected
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"We are still big believers in what we are doing, we have been in this situation before, and we have been able to fight back, so it is all in front of us."
England limited Australia to 132 after a phenomenal display with the ball in hand during the first innings.
McCullum insists his side cannot afford to let their confidence and camaraderie drop after the loss in Perth.
"We are sort of trying to insulate against reacting too much to things for a little while," he added. "We know that this one is going to hurt, not just us, but all the English people who have followed this cricket team as well.
"There will be a lot of chatter, but for us, it will be a matter of making sure that we do not allow our confidence and our camaraderie to dip too low. We know that at our best we are a very good cricket team.
"We have now got an extended amount of time off over the next 10 to 12 days to make sure that we bounce back, and we have done it before.
"We have had a bad day today, a very bad day today, but we have done it before and we certainly believe in what we are trying to achieve in Brisbane."
McCullum was also asked what his message would be to England fans, with four Tests still to come, and he replied: "Keep the faith. Sometimes we get beaten, and it looks pretty ugly, but there are times when having that type of mentality allows us to still believe in our abilities when we step out to play.
"There are times we don't get it right, but we have to believe in what we believe in because it gives us the best chance. Just because we are one down in the series doesn't change what we believe in.
"We have to stay calm, stay together, and plot our way back into this series, as we have done before."
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TNT Sports expert Alastair Cook called on England’s batters to let the scars of Perth heal ahead of the second Test in Brisbane next month.
"You have to start looking at the positive side for England," Cook said. "It is all about how England regroup. It is all about the belief of the top seven as well.
"They have come here with high hopes and got the series off to a good start. Then none of them have got 50, but how can they regroup?
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Highlights: Head inspires Australia to first Test win on Day 2
Video credit: TNT Sports
"They have got to leave here without too many scars, because they know they have to bat better.
"They know they have to score more runs to be competitive in this series and to put Australia under pressure with the bat.
"They can definitely do it with the ball."
Watch every ball of the Ashes live on TNT Sports and discovery+
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