The Ashes: England coach McCullum says they will go 'harder' in next Test

England coach Brendon McCullum has revealed that England will adopt a more aggressive approach against Australia following their heartbreaking two-wicket loss in the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston. 

The Australian ninth-wicket duo of Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon successfully chased down the target of 281, forming a crucial partnership of 55 runs.

The opening Test showcased a clash of styles, with England adopting an aggressive mindset while Australia took a more cautious approach. McCullum expressed his belief that England will persist with their strategy, stating, "I'm sure they'll stick to that strategy, which is great because we'll go a little harder."

England aims to level the series in the upcoming second Test at Lord's, scheduled to commence next Wednesday. The defeat at Edgbaston marked only the team's third loss in 14 Tests since McCullum and captain Ben Stokes assumed leadership last summer. Reflecting on the last Ashes series in Australia 18 months ago, in which England lost 4-0, McCullum emphasised that their current approach was justified by the closeness of the contest against the world Test champions.

"The way that we played validated our style of play," affirmed the former New Zealand cricketer. "If we'd have got a little bit of the rub of the green then we might have been on the other side of it. The guys are proud of the efforts that they put in, and I'm sure we'll go to Lord's with a lot of confidence."

In the first Test, England made an early declaration at 393-8 after just 78 overs, marking their earliest declaration in an Ashes Test. McCullum stressed their intent to push the game forward and seize opportunities to put the opposition under pressure. Despite the narrow defeat, he acknowledged that luck could have favoured them and altered the outcome.

The match was closely contested, with England paying the price for eight missed opportunities on the field, including four errors by wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow. McCullum, himself a former wicketkeeper, acknowledged the difficulty of keeping in England and commended Bairstow's overall performance behind the stumps throughout the game. Bairstow's contributions with the bat, scoring 78 and 20, further solidified his position in the team.

Regarding off-spinner Moeen Ali, who returned from retirement to participate in the Ashes due to Jack Leach's injury, McCullum mentioned that the team will monitor the 36-year-old's fitness. Moeen took three wickets in Birmingham, but his bowling was affected by a cut on his spinning finger. McCullum expressed confidence in Moeen's recovery and stated that he would be selected for the Lord's Test if deemed fit.

McCullum also praised Moeen's enthusiasm for playing Test cricket again and commended the team, particularly Stokes, for fostering an environment that players enjoy being a part of.