A defiant Brendon McCullum has vowed not to make knee-jerk reactions to England's Test team, unfazed by the fact his job could be on the line in Adelaide.
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McCullum confirmed on Sunday that England would stick with the same top seven for the third Ashes Test, as they fight to stay in the series and avoid going down 3-0.
It means the tourists will keep the under-fire Ollie Pope at No.3, with McCullum declaring there was no consideration at all to move Ben Stokes up the order.
McCullum rarely speaks publicly in the lead-up to matches, but suggested he was doing so on Sunday to take the heat off his players after two big losses.
The 44-year-old also defended the way his group had handled scrutiny after Saturday's airport altercation between team security and a cameraman.
And he stood by claims England were "over-prepared" ahead of their eight-wicket loss at the Gabba, lamenting the fact five training sessions could have left the side short on energy.
But McCullum was most protective when it came to on-field matters, making clear his top seven batters would not change in Adelaide and nor would their approach.
"Knee-jerk reactions and chopping and changing settled batting line-ups is not really our way," McCullum said.
"We know we haven't got enough runs so far in the series. We've been in positions where we could have and we've made mistakes. That can happen at times.
"But for us to go on and win the series it's not about throwing out what's been successful for us over the past few years.
"It's about having more conviction. It's about making sure that we have our plans and our disciplines around it screwed down a touch more.
"It's making sure we walk out and we're part of the loop and what we're capable of achieving."
McCullum believes the flatter Adelaide wicket could suit his side, while also hinting at rotating his bowling attack.
This week looms as potentially era-defining for both McCullum and England, having spent three and a half years preparing for this Ashes tour.
And while the fearless BazBall approach had success early in McCullum's tenure, the tourists are yet to face 80 overs in an innings in the first two Tests.
McCullum last year inked a new three-year deal to take him until the end of 2027, but the reality is his job could be under threat if England go 3-0 down this week.
"I don't know (if it is), but it doesn't really bother me to be honest," McCullum said.
"You have conviction in what you're doing, and whatever happens, happens.
"I certainly don't coach to protect a job. I coach to get the best out of people, and that's the same with the skipper.
"We came here with high hopes and high expectations. We had a plan that we felt was going to be successful to give ourselves the best chance of being successful.
"We haven't quite executed that so far and Australia receives those key moments and hence they sit 2-0 up. It doesn't mean that we throw that plan out.
"Now, if anything, we just need to chisel away at some of the things we haven't got right and make sure that we still have that conviction in what we're trying to achieve."
Australian Associated Press
