'Work to do': McCullum targets refined England after India humbling

Head coach insists belief is still there despite a 4-1 series defeat but side have to be smarter’ with their approach

- Ali Martin

As Brendon McCullum sat in the team hotel reflecting on a humbling first series defeat as England head coach, the idyllic cricket ground in the distance hosting the Barmy Army versus monks from the local monastery - rather than the fourth day of the fifth Test against India - there came an admission that his side's approach needed refinement.

Though not top of the list, this included an acceptance that some of their public statements on tour had bitten them on the backside; statements such as Ben Duckett in Rajkot saying "the more, the better" regarding the run chase - England crumbled to 122 all out when set 557 - or that Yashasvi Jaiswal, 712 runs by the end, was somehow inspired by the tourists.

"We do have belief within our group," McCullum said, 24 hours after the grizzly three-day denouement in the foothills of the Himalayas. "[But] it has taken a bit of a hit over the last couple of weeks. We have to be smarter with those comments. It is fine to inwardly believe what you can achieve but just be a bit smarter around how we say things.

"But it is people growing up in the environment, right. They are not the finished articles yet and surely they shouldn't be hung for making a positive comment that might be construed as arrogance. It is not arrogance, just confidence in the group." If anything, McCullum said, his players should aspire to emulate India, so impressive in securing a 17th successive home series win and not least through an ability to seize the big moments. One example came on day three in Ranchi and the chance to make it 2-2, only for a lacklustre morning during which England's overnight first-innings lead of 134 runs, three wickets required, eroded to 43 and was followed by a defining collapse.