LONDON, Aug 1, 2023 (BSS/AFP) - England coach Brendon McCullum said the

team's fightback to draw a "heavyweight" Ashes series against Australia
justified their attacking approach and provided them with a template to
regain the urn in 2025/26.

McCullum's men were in a dire position at 2-0 down with three to play in a
five-match series following defeats at Edgbaston and Lord's.

But they fought back to win the third Test at Headingley and had much he
better of a rain-marred draw at Old Trafford before finishing with a 49-run
victory in the series finale at The Oval on Monday.

The drawn series meant Australia, as the holders, retained the Ashes.

But it is now 22 years since Australia, the reigning world Test champions,
last won an Ashes series in England.

McCullum has helped transform England's red-ball fortunes since joining
forces with captain Ben Stokes last year, with the pair taking over a team
that had won just one of its 17 previous Tests.

England have won 13 out of 18 Tests under the duo, playing a dynamic brand of
cricket dubbed "Bazball" in reference to former New Zealand captain
McCullum's nickname.

- 'Best chance of winning' -

"I guess from our point of view the most pleasing aspect is when we were
under the most pressure at 2-0 down we stayed true to that and were able to
manufacture some results that allowed us to walk away at 2-2," said McCullum.

"I think for us that is our best chance of winning. The skipper (Stokes) and
I firmly believe that and some of the performances we've seen from some of
the guys right throughout is testament to that.

"If you're weighed down by fear of failure or by external noise, all you're
doing is suffocating that talent."

England were criticised by several former players for being too aggressive
early in an Ashes they might have won but for the Manchester weather.

However, McCullum said: "We refined it (our approach) slightly as the series
wore on.

"I think both sides have stayed true to their styles and that's what makes a
great heavyweight fight. It's two different styles and total conviction in
them."

The Oval match saw the retiring England duo of paceman Stuart Broad and spin-
bowling all-rounder Moeen Ali bow out of Test cricket on a high.

Other places in the attack may have to be filled by the time England travel
to Australia, with veteran swing bowler James Anderson now 41 and the likes
of Chris Woakes (34) and Mark Wood (33) well into their respective careers.

Nevertheless, McCullum was encouraged by what he had seen from among those
currently pushing to get into the England side.

"We're starting to build some nice depth in batting and bowling as well, so
that's encouraging and will pose some good conversations moving forward," he
said.

A drawn series means England won't have won the Ashes for a decade by the
time of the next edition in Australia in 2025/26.

But McCullum said the way they had performed in this campaign gave England
cause to be optimistic about winning a Test series in Australia for the first
time in 15 years.

"You look back when the skipper took over, would we be able to take on a
great Australian team -- and they are a great Australian team -- and go toe
to toe with them? I think the answer is yes and that's a tremendous
confidence booster for the group," he said.