New Zealand all-rounder Daryl Mitchell believes England will continue embracing risks in the Ashes despite the “blip” that saw his side claim a famous victory in Wellington.
England have enjoyed some rousing successes since Ben Stokes and Kiwi favourite Brendon McCullum took over the Test team, winning 10 of their 12 outings by pushing the boundaries of attacking cricket.
But they suffered a rare setback in the last match, a thrilling one-run defeat at Basin Reserve as the Black Caps became just the fourth side in Test history to win after following on.
Already boasting a 1-0 lead from Mount Maunganui, England could have closed out the series by batting again instead of sending New Zealand back in for a second time but instead lived up to their aggressive principles by choosing the most direct route to victory.
And although that ultimately backfired against Mitchell’s men, the Lancashire overseas star does not expect any change of approach against Australia.
“England have had a lot of success in the last 12 months and it’s been well deserved, so I don’t think one little blip really affects how they’ll go about their business,” he told the PA news agency at Emirates Old Trafford.
“Knowing Baz McCullum, he won’t be reading too much into that result when he looks at how he goes about things. They’ll just try and keep doing what they do best.
“I think it’s cool they’ve found a style that works for them and fits how they want to play. It doesn’t mean that’s how everyone is going to do it but that’s the great thing about cricket, there’s more than one way to skin the cat.
“Wellington was certainly a very special match to be part of and when you reflect on it, you can see two world-class teams going at it for five days and being separated by one run. It’s a memory that will live with me for the rest of my career.
“I can’t comment on the decisions England made or how they played but as Kiwis, we pride ourselves on our ability to fight and get stuck in.”
Mitchell, who was named as a Wisden Cricketer of the Year for his efforts in a losing cause against England last summer, will be deep in Vitality Blast action with Lancashire when the Ashes gets under way but he is intrigued to see how two sides he knows well will perform.
“Australia have got a world-class bowling attack and I’m really excited to see England come at them, like we know they will and try to put the pressure back on them,” he said.
“Having seen the way Stokesy and Baz want to go about their cricket, I’m sure they’ll find a way to do that at times.
“At the same time it’s going to be interesting to see the English bowlers and how they can build pressure with those Dukes balls under the clouds. It’s going to make for some entertainment for those of us watching from afar.”
England 'realistic' about chances in Pakistan, says McCullum
Brendon McCullum says England are going into their three-match Test series against Pakistan with "realistic" expectations, and anticipates a tough test from their hosts.
England became the first side to achieve a 3-0 clean sweep in Pakistan during their last tour in 2022.
And Pakistan have had no success on home soil in the last two years, with a 1-0 defeat by Australia in early 2022 setting off a 10-match winless run, with Bangladesh the latest to triumph against them.
England are without captain Ben Stokes though, as he was ruled out of the first Test after failing to recover from a hamstring tear in time.
Despite recent history suggesting England may just have an edge, McCullum is taking nothing for granted.
"We go in with high hopes," McCullum told BBC Sport. "There will be no excuses whatsoever if we don't get where we need to get.
"We're also realistic this is going to be a tough series, because Pakistan in their own conditions, as history would suggest, it's a tough ask."
McCullum also brushed off concerns he was worried about not having James Anderson, who has been acting as their fast-bowling consultant since his retirement, with them for the first day.
"Jimmy has been a great resource for us, but prior to that, we didn't have a pace-bowling coach as such," he added.
"In the world we live in, communication is easy. Jimmy is in constant communication with the guys. I don't think it's a big issue."
For Pakistan, Shan Masood has lost all five Tests since being appointed captain last November, including the 2-0 defeat to Bangladesh in August.
"There is a lot of hurt within the players," Masood said. "This year, 2024, has not been a good year for Pakistan cricket all over, and we like to see our fans happy.
"The answer is to be positive. We let the past go. We have tried to maintain consistency in selection. We haven't had any chopping and changing because we have lost a few games.
"We believe in this set of players and with Jason Gillespie we wanted to create a squad mentality. The players are being backed to turn things around."
The first Test between England and Pakistan begins on Monday in Multan.
Stokes to have scan on hamstring injury before Pakistan tour
Ben Stokes will have a scan on his hamstring injury next week with the England captain in a race to be fit for their first Test in Pakistan.
Stokes sustained the injury at the start of August and was subsequently absent from the series win over Sri Lanka.
The 33-year-old revealed earlier this month he was being cautious with his recovery rather than risking further damage with a premature return.
As well as netting throughout his recovery, Stokes has also featured in this week's Celebrity Pro-Am at the PGA Championship in Wentworth.
Despite the issue, he has been named as captain of England's 17-man squad, which is due to depart on October 1 before beginning the three-match series six days later.
England paceman Wood sidelined until 2025 with elbow injury
England bowler Mark Wood will miss the remainder of 2024 after sustaining an injury to his right elbow.
Wood played a full part in the first Test versus Sri Lanka at Old Trafford last month, despite suffering from stiffness and discomfort while bowling during July's series against West Indies.
Wood managed two wickets in that match as England sealed a five-wicket victory, but he was then replaced by Olly Stone for the second Test at Lord's, which ended in another comprehensive home win.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has now confirmed Wood's injury will rule him out of red-ball tours of Pakistan in October and New Zealand in December.
The ECB said it will closely monitor Wood's rehabilitation ahead of a potential return to action in early 2025, with England embarking on a white-ball tour of India – their first with Brendon McCullum in charge of their limited-over sides – in January.
They then head to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy, which begins on February 19.
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