In preparation for the upcoming 1st Test of the India vs England Test Series starting on January 25 (Thursday), England Team’s head coach Brendon McCullum emphasised the need for bravery in team selection. Acknowledging India as a ‘land of opportunity,’ McCullum hinted at bold choices for the Test series, which commences in Hyderabad.

Bazball, introduced in 2022 under the coaching of McCullum, has made a significant impact on England’s style of playing the longest format, providing a new perspective to the traditional format. This mindset advocates an attacking style of play and has helped England to reap big rewards from this approach, particularly in home conditions. However, the ultimate challenge lies ahead as the true test awaits – facing India in their home conditions. Discussing the upcoming challenge ahead of the first IND vs ENG Test, Coach McCullum emphasised the importance of bravery for his team and that it should reflect in the selection process as well.

“India is the land of opportunity and that’s what sits in front of us now, we’ll take the positive option. Other teams might be better, but we want to be the bravest. We’ve got to do that and that’s got to be factored into selection, too,” McCullum said during his interaction with reporters in Hyderabad as quoted by Cricbuzz.

“What balance we go for in terms of the side we’ll work out in the coming days, but the thing we need to be is really brave with whatever we decide,” he said.

’20 Wickets’ And ‘One More Run’- McCullum’s Simple Formula For Success

India boast an impressive record at home, having not lost a Test series since 2012. However, it was England who were the last team to secure victory on Indian soil and the Ben Stokes-led England would try to draw inspiration from that. In the end,it will all be about how England’s extremely aggressive batting strategy matches up against India’s top-notch spin attack. However, McCullum prefers a rather straightforward approach to the challenge.

“We’ve got to take 20 wickets with the ball in each Test and we’ve got to get one more run than them with the bat. It’s not rocket science but it will be the nuances of the game and when to stick and when to twist which will be the fascinating part,” Cricbuzz quoted McCullum as saying.