England coach Brendon McCullum expressed his unwavering confidence in his team’s tactics despite a thrilling two-wicket defeat to Australia in the first Test at Edgbaston. The loss put England 1-0 behind in the Ashes series, but McCullum remained resolute and held no regrets about their approach.

The defeat came as a result of an unbroken ninth-wicket partnership between Australia captain Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon, which guided the visitors to a target of 281 after being on the brink of defeat. Since McCullum took charge alongside captain Ben Stokes, this was only England’s third loss in 14 Tests, characterized by their aggressive playing style known as “Bazball,” named after the former New Zealand skipper.

When asked about his thoughts on the match, McCullum responded, “I had an absolutely amazing time. I thought it was a fantastic Test match with two contrasting styles of play. Like a heavyweight boxing match, not everyone has to fight the same way. We stuck to our style of trying to push the game forward, while Australia played their own style, which proved successful for them. I believe they will continue with those tactics throughout the series, making it a captivating contest.”

Earlier in the game, Stokes took an unconventional approach by declaring England’s innings before reaching 400 runs. McCullum defended this decision, stating, “We always strive to seize opportunities and put opposition teams under pressure. Facing 25 minutes of bowling, especially with the ball swinging, is not something many opening batters desire. We thought there might be an opportunity for Stuart Broad against Dave Warner as well. Although it didn’t work out, we were content with our total, and it was the most attacking option at that moment. We were just two wickets away from being one-nil up in the series, and with a bit of luck, we could have been satisfied with that outcome.”

McCullum emphasized that England would not alter their overall strategy following this dramatic loss. He confidently stated, “The skipper (Stokes) and I firmly believe this approach gives us the best chance. Based on the excitement and entertainment witnessed in this match over the past five days, I doubt there are many who would disagree with our style of play. We understand that winning isn’t guaranteed, but as a team, we will keep fighting and throwing punches. I’m incredibly proud of the way the guys played, and I have no regrets about our approach.”