The Ashes: Brendon McCullum says England are ready for defining series

Coach Brendon McCullum believes his England team are ready for an Ashes series that could “define” them.

McCullum and captain Ben Stokes have revitalised the England Test team since taking charge in 2022.

The New Zealander said they have been “building to this moment”, with the first Test against Australia in Perth beginning on Friday (02:20 GMT).

In his only interview since arriving in Australia, McCullum told BBC Sport: “There’s nothing bigger than what we’re about to come into.”

Speaking to Test Match Special commentator and former England spinner Phil Tufnell, McCullum added: “This team has been together for a good couple of years and we have been building towards this moment.

“It is the biggest stage and it is the brightest lights. It is a series that could define teams, the people and players within it. That’s OK.

“You know you’re ready, you know you have the game to compete at this level. Stay together, play the style you have become accustomed to and we’ll see in a couple of months where we land.”

England are due to confirm their XI for the first Test on Thursday, with spinner Shoaib Bashir likely to miss out from the 12-man squad named on Wednesday.

That would mean the tourists will field a five-man pace attack, probably the fastest group of bowlers they have ever put together for a Test match.

“I’m super excited and probably a little bit more relaxed now than I was a few weeks ago,” said former New Zealand captain McCullum.

“We’ve got our team to the start line. I feel like our horse is going to run well. Whether we find another horse in the race that is better than us, who knows.”

England had won only one their previous 17 Tests, including a 4-0 defeat on their last Ashes tour, when McCullum and Stokes united in the summer of 2022.

They revolutionised England’s style of play, built a new team with a number of young players and earned impressive series wins at home against New Zealand and South Africa, then again against the Kiwis and Pakistan.

But England have not managed a victory in a marquee five-Test series against either Australia or India, including a 2-2 draw in the last home Ashes in 2023.

England have not won a single Test in Australia since their last series win in this country 14 years ago. Only five England teams have won Ashes series in Australia since World War II.