New Delhi: England men’s cricket team head coach Brendon McCullum has dismissed the reports of players not training after the recent 3-0 whitewash to India in their backyard in the One-Day International series. England lost ODI matches in Nagpur, Cuttack and Ahmedabad to make a mockery of their brand of cricket just before the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
During the last ODI match of the series played at the Narendra Modi Stadium, the likes of Ravi Shastri (former Indian cricketer) and Kevin Pietersen (former England cricketer) expressed astonishment over the visitors participating in just one training session across all three matches of the preparatory bilateral series.
This sparked a massive backlash among cricket fraternity over England’s laxity ahead of a showpiece event like the Champions Trophy, which starts from February 19.
I’m sorry, but I am absolutely gobsmacked that England did not have ONE team practice session since losing the 1st ODI and losing the T20 series.
How can this be?
Seriously, how?
I believe Joe Root was the only player to have a net this series, post Nagpur.
There isn’t a…— Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) February 12, 2025
However, McCullum said that such reports surfaced in the mainstream media didn’t hold any truth and lacked facts.
“Firstly, it’s factually incorrect, the whole statement that we don’t train,” McCullum told ‘talkSPORT’ after England’s third ODI defeat here on Wednesday.
“We’ve trained plenty right throughout, and guys have come from a lot of cricket as well. I think it’s an easy thing to have as a throwaway line that guys don’t train enough when the results aren’t right,” the former New Zealand skipper added.
Injury Concerns and Player Fitness
The England head coach mentioned how some of the team players like all-rounder Jacob Bethell (hamstring) and wicketkeeper Jamie Smith (calf) are on the path of recovery mode from their respective injuries. He maintained his stance that it was incorrect to call out the team for skipping training sessions in entirety.
“We’ve got a style and a method that we believe in. We’ve got guys who are battling injuries and trying to make sure that we’ve got enough bodies out on the field, knowing that we’ve got a huge assignment coming up in a week or two.
“Ultimately it’s factually incorrect what’s been said and we’ll stay true to what we believe in,” McCullum said.
England are part of Group B in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 along with Australia, Afghanistan and South Africa. Jos Buttler & Co will start its campaign against Ashes rivals Australia on February 22 at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. At the same venue, the Three Lions will face Afghanistan on February 26. They will move to Karachi to play against the Proteas in the last group game on March 1.
Following England’s 3-0 ODI series loss to India, reports surfaced claiming the team neglected training. Head coach Brendon McCullum vehemently denies the claims, citing injuries to players like Jacob Bethell and Jamie Smith as factors affecting training schedules. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
