England coach Brendon McCullum has claimed his team trained too hard for the Gabba Test, which ended in a bruising eight-wicket loss that leaves the tourists’ Ashes hopes in tatters.<\/p>\n
England’s training regime has been a point of focus since the team arrived in Australia, with only internal fixtures and no official practice match scheduled ahead of their first-Test loss in Perth.<\/p>\n
Heading into the crucial pink-ball Test in Brisbane, Australia had played and won three day-night matches since England’s last one in 2023.<\/p>\n
But the entire XI from the loss in Perth opted to skip out on playing in a day-night tour match against the Prime Minister’s XI in Canberra and head straight to Brisbane.<\/p>\n
The decision prompted questions as to whether five days training in Brisbane was the best preparation for a clash with the day-night masters.<\/p>\n
As “Bazball” architect McCullum saw it, England had the opposite issue.<\/p>\n
“I actually felt like we over-prepared to be honest,” McCullum said.<\/p>\n
“I think sometimes when you’re in the heat of the battle, as we all know, sometimes the most important thing is to feel a bit fresh.”<\/p>\n
England will have that chance to freshen up when they head to Noosa for a getaway before the third Test match that begins in Adelaide on December 17.<\/p>\n
Paparazzi are set to be out in force trying to catch the tourists lounging around in the sun as their Ashes hopes hang by a thread.<\/p>\n
The team already received plenty of scrutiny from the Australian press in Brisbane when three players, including captain Ben Stokes, were photographed riding e-scooters without helmets<\/a>.<\/p>\n Stokes said the Sunshine Coast sojourn would be a chance for a much-needed physical and mental break.<\/p>\n “We have been here four weeks and they have been pretty full on,” Stokes said.<\/p>\n