Follow UsBrendon McCullum, now the all-format head coach of the England cricket team, who has raised expectations with his enthralling play in Test cricket, said that the players need to differentiate between the boorish dressing room talks and the ability to be humble amongst the fans and public.
This is one aspect of the game that has been missing in the Bazball era, where batters, despite failing regularly, have dared to call it fair game because they were going for quick runs.
Stressing on it ahead of the one-off Test against Zimbabwe, McCullum said, "We've just got to be a bit smarter with some of our comments. What we say in that dressing room is often very different from what you expect to come out in a public forum.”
"We've got to be smart enough to be able to make sure that we articulate things when we get the opportunity so that we don't lose touch with the English people,” he added.
Saying that the start of the Bazball era enthralled people, but gradually they have become familiar with that idea, and hence it is important for the team to think retrospectively and analyse their performances to find new ways to connect with the people.
"With a bit of idle time, we get the opportunity to retrospectively look at things and see where things have been over the last few years, where we've come from, what we've achieved, the opportunities we've let slip, and also looking at what we've done for the people that this team represents,” said the New Zealander, who first took over the reins of the Test team in May 2022.
Talking about what his team needs to improve the most, the 43-year-old said, "It's not just about what you do on the cricket field. It's how you carry yourself. It's how you interact with the public. The ability to be humble and show some humility and not feel out of touch with the general population is something I'd like to see us improve on."