Credit: Google
Brendon McCullum, the head coach of England, was asked in an interview about whether he and the team management already got the playing XI in mind for the Ashes 2025-26 against Australia beginning on November 21 down under. In response, the 43-year-old was clear in saying “no, not yet” before talking about how they will figure it out after reaching Australia later this year in the build-up to the highly anticipated five-match Test series.
Notably, after winning the Ashes series down under with a 3-1 scoreline against Australia in 2010-11, England are yet to win a single Test in the country, losing 13 out of the last 15 matches. With that, the England team management will need to pick the best possible playing XI in each of the matches, to give themselves a real shot at winning a match first and foremost before harbouring dreams about clinching the series after nearly 15 years.
England expected to mull on number three spot for Ashes series against Australia down under
The number three position in the England batting order is anything but a foregone conclusion with vice-captain Ollie Pope struggling for runs in recent times, including the five-match Test series against India, which finished 2-2 this past August for the newly minted Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. With that, Jacob Bethell, who batted impressively at number three in his debut Test series in New Zealand last year, could get a look in especially after doing no harm to his credentials by scoring a maiden international hundred in ODI cricket just a day ago.
“We've got a few other fish to fry before we get there, but I think we've said since we introduced Jacob (Bethell) that he's got a huge future in front of him,” said Brendon McCullum about the 21-year-old while discussing Ashes implications. The English head coach also praised him for taking up international cricket “very quickly” before revealing how he works hard behind the scenes with an incredible ability to adapt to situations at such a young age.
Before the Ashes begins in over two months time, Jacob Bethell will also get the opportunity to captain a second string England side for three-match T20I series away in Ireland later this month.
