'Stick with him': Former Australian cricketer stuns fans by backing McCullum after England’s Ashes disaster

Former Australia spinner Steve O’Keefe has urged England to stay committed to head coach Brendon McCullum despite growing criticism after back-to-back defeats in the ongoing Ashes series.

England have slipped 0–2 behind after losses in Perth and Brisbane, with their attacking philosophy facing intense questioning. The team’s refusal to adjust tactics, along with McCullum’s controversial remarks about over-training after the Brisbane defeat, has only added to the scrutiny. Many former players and pundits have suggested that a change in leadership may now be necessary.



O’Keefe, though, believes England should remain patient with McCullum, highlighting the dramatic shift he brought to the side when he took charge in 2022. Speaking on SEN Radio, he said England’s progress under the former New Zealand captain cannot be ignored.

“If you remove the emotion and look at the numbers, he should stay. Under Joe Root and Chris Silverwood, England won just one of their last 17 Tests. With McCullum, they’re winning at around 58 percent. And historically, no England side has travelled well in Australia since 2010–11. A lot of people think he won’t survive this, but I’d stick with him,” O’Keefe said.

McCullum’s contract runs until the end of the 2027 season, which includes the next Ashes series in England. O’Keefe added that while the head coach has brought a fresh, fearless style to the team, he now needs to absorb the lessons from this tour and be open to tactical shifts.

“He’s introduced a bold mindset, but change is needed. He has to adapt, listen more, and correct what’s clearly not working. A century of Test cricket shows you can’t keep repeating the same approach when you’re being dominated,” O’Keefe noted.

He also criticised England’s preparation, pointing out that their training-to-match balance has been far from ideal. “Saying the team is over-trained makes no sense when they aren’t playing tour matches. They’ve had 11 training days and six days of Test cricket. That has to stop.”

The Ashes now move to Adelaide, where the third Test begins on 17 December, followed by matches at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and Sydney Cricket Ground.


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