Brendon McCullum is already looking forward to the next Ashes after going ‘toe to toe’ with Australia in a series he never wanted to end.
The coach who, along with captain Ben Stokes, has transformed England’s Test cricket since the low of their latest thrashing in Australia 18 months ago, expects some new faces by the time these great old rivals meet again in two and a half years.
But the two principal figures in the Test revolution in McCullum and Stokes still plan to be around to resume hostilities with an Australian team ultimately grateful to the Manchester rain for a shared series that saw them just about retain the urn.
‘I’ve always looked at the Ashes from afar and to now be part of it and witness how special it is has been something quite incredible,’ said McCullum in the aftermath of the extraordinary end at the Oval to an exceptional series. ‘I don’t want it…