Brendon McCullum said England would not know until they had gone too far in their bold new approach, if they suffered defeat.
England scored an over at a run rate of 4.54 during their three Tests against New Zealand, half a run per over faster than in any previous series of three or more Tests.
“The alarm bells have probably gone off a bit in the world of cricket about how this team is going to play,” said England Test coach McCullum after England’s 3-0 win. “Let’s enjoy the moment and see what unfolds in the near future. It is exciting.
“I hope we go too far, because then we know exactly where that limit is. Until you do that, you won’t know for sure. We’ve seen it with the English white-ball stuff – there’s been times when they’ve probably pushed too hard, and then they know it. I think it will be the same with us, and we need to keep exploring what that line is.
“It’s not just about the hitting either. If you look at how we fell and how we bowled too. Some of the field placements that the skippers had and the mentality that the guys had is constantly trying to chase wickets.”
McCullum said England’s meager run in Test cricket before he and Ben Stokes were appointed as coach and captain – winning just one Test in 17 – had allowed the pair to make radical changes.
‘I know it’s still early, but Stokes has already exceeded my expectations’
“I think taking this job… there was a thirst for change. If your results aren’t good, people are more open to change,” he said.
“I know it’s still early, but [Stokes has] Exceeded my expectations already to be honest. I’m aggressive, but he’s got me covered, that’s saying something.”
When England stood at 296 to win the third Test, with the potential for 47 extra overs, had England claimed the extra half hour: “His message to the group was to decline this tonight,” McCullum said.
“What we’ve seen on the pitch, when we’re fielding and he’s there as captain, he’s constantly making plays which I think are great because it means we’re at least in control no matter what the scoreboard says. When he is then hitting, he is also pushing the envelope that is sending a message to not only our dressing room but other dressing rooms around the world that this is how we are going to play. He has been fantastic so far.”
McCullum also echoed Stokes by saying he hopes County Championship players will follow the Test side’s lead.
“If I were a young player around county cricket and I saw what our number five for England is currently doing and the role and how he is encouraged to play that way, I would probably try to play that way myself to make sure I’d be noticed too,” said McCullum, who said the party wasn’t keen on more traditional top-order batsmen.
“Right now it’s probably not what we’re looking for, but there may come a time when it will be,” he said. “I just look at the players we have and I think they fit what we’re trying to achieve and the style we want to play as a team.”