'We'll have a beer tonight': Clueless Brendon McCullum after England's mauling in 2nd Ashes Test against Australia

England suffered a hefty eight-wicket against Australia in the second Test of the ongoing Ashes 2025-26 series, with the encounter at the Gabba being wrapped up decisively inside four days of play. Australia completed the chase like a formality, making a mockery of the English attack as they powered to a 2-0 series lead.

Sometimes the most important thing is to feel a little bit fresh: Brendon McCullum

Following the shambolic defeat, England head coach Brendon McCullum reflected on the team's performance and outlined the intended approach for the remainder of the series. He shed light on the disappointment that, despite being thoroughly prepared, his side ultimately failed to put up a meaningful fight against the dominant Australians. However, McCullum's immediate strategy for moving past the loss is surprisingly simple: he intends to make the players feel fresh by having a few beers, emphasizing the need for relaxation before regrouping for the crucial upcoming fixtures.

"I think we'll probably have a beer tonight and then, you know, I think leading into this Test match, I actually felt like we over-prepared, to be honest. We had five intense training days and I think sometimes when you're in the heat of the battle, as we all know, I think sometimes the most important thing is to feel a little bit fresh and make sure your top two inches is completely sound," McCullum said via 7Cricket.

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McCullum emphasised his responsibility as coach to ensure the players learn valuable lessons from their mistakes. He stated that the team needs to analyze where they went wrong and rectify those issues by tweaking their preparation methods during training sessions. This focus on continuous improvement highlights his commitment to refining the team's approach for the upcoming must-win matches.

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'You wouldn't just keep doing the same thing with your horse'

In addition to adjusting their training, McCullum plans for the team to spend time completely away from cricket. He believes this period of off-time is essential to help the players feel energised and relaxed. The goal is for the squad to return to the field mentally refreshed and ready to tackle the immense pressure of the remaining Ashes series fixtures.

"The boys just need a few days off and probably need to change up a few of the training methods a little bit. I'm a horse racing man and you wouldn't just keep doing the same thing with your horse. You'd send it around in figure eights or over the little jumps just to try and switch it on a bit. So we'll look at some alternative methods over the next few days," McCullum added.

"We've got a couple of days in Noosa, which would be good to spend a bit of time casually and just let the dust settle on what's been a pretty intense couple of weeks and start to plot and plan our way back into the series," he signed off.