Brendon McCullum, England’s head coach, admitted there was still room for growth within his side as he looked back on the intense and dramatic 2-2 Test series draw against India. The recently concluded Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy reached a thrilling conclusion at The Oval, where India clawed back from a 2-1 deficit to win the final Test by just six runs, leveling the series and dashing England’s hopes of the first series win against India since 2018.
Speaking after the match, Brendon McCullum praised the grit and commitment shown by his players throughout the summer while also acknowledging the narrow margins that ultimately tipped the balance in India’s favor. He expressed willingness to learn from the experience, suggesting that the series served as a valuable reference point ahead of England’s next big challenge, the Ashes in Australia later this year.
The fifth Test provided a dramatic finish, as India pulled off their narrowest ever win by runs in the Test history, needing less than an hour on the final morning to dismiss the remaining English batters. England, who at one point stood strong at 301 for 3 in pursuit of 374, lost their final seven wickets for just 66 runs in a collapse that cost them not only the match but also the series.
Brendon McCullum, during media interaction, stressed the importance of absorbing the lessons from the defeat. He indicated that this period without Test cricket until the Ashes opener in Perth in November provides a valuable opportunity for reflection and recalibration. He reiterated that this was still the halfway mark of a challenging and exciting year for England in Test cricket and emphasised that such intense encounters only strengthen the team’s ability to grow under pressure.
One of the key areas England will look to address is their fielding, which proved costly in the final match. The team dropped six catches during India’s second innings, moments that Brendon McCullum admitted could have altered the outcome. Though disappointed, he maintained perspective, pointing out that England’s fielding has generally been reliable over the past few years. He viewed the lapse at The Oval as a rare off-day rather than a systemic flaw, noting how such small moments can have a disproportionately large impact on results.
Despite the heartbreak of the final day defeat, Brendon McCullum was full of praise for the commitment of his squad. He highlighted the physical and emotional toll the series had taken, with injuries forcing some key players to exit early. Yet, he remained proud of the resilience and effort his side showed throughout, especially in the face of a formidable Indian team that seized their opportunity when it mattered the most.
In particular, Brendon McCullum reserved high praise for India’s Mohammed Siraj who delivered a fierce and tireless performance, consistently bowling at high pace deep into his spell. He called Siraj’s effort in the final Test “incredible” and commended the Indian team for their composure and determination under pressure.
Reflecting on the larger picture, Brendon McCullum avoided lamenting missed chances, instead focusing on the quality of cricket and the depth of character the series demanded. He acknowledged that England threw everything they had at India and came up just short but took comfort in being part of a series that offered everything, passion, confrontations, intense pressure and moments of brilliance and vulnerability alike.
While the disappointment was undeniable, Brendon McCullum concluded that India was the better side in the decisive moments of the final Test and rightly earned the win. The series, in his view, will be remembered as a riveting contest that tested both the teams in every department and now serves as the perfect springboard for England to sharpen their skills before stepping into the cauldron of an Ashes series Down Under.
