England Test side will ‘shoot for the stars’ in marquee year – head coach Brendon McCullum

Under McCullum and captain Ben Stokes, England have delivered often thrilling cricket and secured landmark series wins away in Pakistan and New Zealand.

However, they failed to regain the Ashes in 2023, having gone 2-0 behind against Australia before surging back to draw the series, while they were also heavily beaten in India and lost in Pakistan last year.

After securing the series win in New Zealand in December, they lost the third and final Test in feeble fashion.

McCullum said he and his side wants England fans to feel an “attachment” to them, liking them both as players and their style of cricket, while also winning series.

“There’s no greater opportunity than playing in big series against the best opposition on the biggest stage under the brightest lights to be able to test that,” he added.

Stokes said he hated the word “ruthless” when asked about England trying to seal a 3-0 sweep in New Zealand.

But McCullum said the all-rounder is “the most ruthless” sportsperson he has ever met.

“He is unbelievably driven, to push himself, to push his team-mates, to win at all costs,” he said.

“We’re very lucky to have him in the chair because he’s going to be very strong about trying to push this team to the next level.”

Despite the obvious focus on the five-Test series in India and the Ashes down under, McCullum said England will not underestimate Zimbabwe in the four-day Test at Trent Bridge.

“We want to be where our feet are,” he said.

“This game has an amazing ability to bring you back down to earth if you don’t have the respect for the game or the respect for the opposition.

“We go into it as favourites so we need to make sure we’re rock hard fit and ready to go and make good decisions under pressure.”