England Overtrained Ahead of Second Ashes Test: McCullum

BRISBANE: England head coach Brendon McCullum admitted that his team may have overtrained ahead of their second Ashes test, following an eight-wicket defeat to Australia at the Gabba on Sunday. The loss put England 2-0 down in the series.

Australia chased a modest target of 65 runs with ease, helped by Michael Neser’s five-wicket haul, leaving England facing familiar struggles in Australia. McCullum revealed that England held “five to 10 training sessions” during the extended break after losing the first test in Perth within two days.

“Not from a preparation point of view. If anything, we trained too much,” McCullum told the BBC. “Sometimes there is a tendency to overdo things to make up for it. In this game, it’s played in the top two inches, so we have to balance preparation with freshness.”

The defeat marked England’s 15th loss in their last 17 Tests in Australia. Overcoming a 2-0 deficit is an almost impossible task, last achieved by Don Bradman’s Australia in 1936-37.

Read more: World Test Championship: Australia Remains Unbeaten, Holds Top Position

McCullum also highlighted England’s struggle to adapt to conditions, after the team was bowled out for 241 in their second innings of the day-night Test.

“We have work to do and some time. There is no point feeling sorry for yourself—you pick yourself up and go again,” McCullum said. “To beat Australia in Australia, you have to be at your best in all three disciplines, and we weren’t. We need to adapt faster for Adelaide.”

The third Ashes Test at the Adelaide Oval begins on December 17.