Getting the job done over India in a pressure game pleases McCullum

The final time England received back-to-back ODI collection was practically three years in the past.

With the 27-run win over India at Lord’s on Sunday, the host took the collection 2-1, its second on the bounce after having overwhelmed Sri Lanka away earlier this 12 months (additionally 2-1).

“Within the final two collection we’ve performed on this format, we’ve discovered ourselves one nil down, and that’s an actual check of your perception as a gaggle and camaraderie,” mentioned England coach Brendon McCullum, after the run-fest that witnessed practically 750 runs being scored.

“When the strain ramps up just a little bit, to nonetheless be capable to keep on the duty, and try to play the type of cricket you need. It’s a very good achievement.”

England has received solely three of its final 9 bilateral ODI collection, and the truth that two of these have come this 12 months — on the lengthy highway in direction of the World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia subsequent October — augurs nicely.

Beating Sri Lanka away isn’t straightforward, as India found in August 2024 when it tied one recreation and misplaced two in a three-match collection. And a overcome India, the World’s No. 1 ranked ODI facet, is actually one other feather in England’s cap.

“We made a little bit of a pivot earlier than Sri Lanka the place we determined we wanted extra variation throughout our squad,” McCullum mentioned. “Now, we’ve acquired left-handers, right-handers, contact gamers, power-hitters, seam-bowling all-rounders, left-armers, leg-spinners, off-spinners…

“Harry [Brook], as a captain, has been courageous sufficient to utilise these variations, and once you go to South Africa, you may get very completely different surfaces. We wish to make sure that we’ve acquired choices.

“On the similar time, we additionally know that it’s very important that you just get leads to the brief time period and that’s why it feels good as a result of we have been capable of get throughout the road towards an impressive Indian facet by getting the job carried out underneath fairly a little bit of strain.”

With McCullum dropping his Check job just lately and now in control of solely the English white-ball groups, he can presumably slender and sharpen his focus. However with England having quite a lot of all-format gamers, like Brook, Jofra Archer and Jacob Bethell, he can’t fairly ring-fence himself.

“Collaboratively, I believe,” McCullum mentioned when requested how sources can be shared. “As soon as the brand new [Test] coach is put in place, we’ll have a very good dialog round every part. In the end, so long as everybody desires what’s proper for English cricket, there’ll be some give and take. I stay up for these conversations when the time comes”.