The countdown to a pivotal moment for England’s cricket team has arrived sooner than anticipated. With just 15 days remaining in the Ashes series, Ben Stokes and his squad are acutely aware that they must dominate the majority of these matches to overturn their current 2-0 deficit and achieve a remarkable 3-2 victory. Such a feat against Australia has never been accomplished in the 148-year history of Test cricket.

Beyond the immediate challenge lies a broader discussion about the future of Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum, along with the strategic approach they have championed since their collaboration began in 2022.

Their partnership sparked a thrilling summer, where England successfully chased scores of 277, 296, and 296 to sweep New Zealand, followed by a record-setting 378-run chase to defeat India. They further showcased their resilience by rallying from behind to triumph over South Africa. Later that year, during their tour of Pakistan, England set a staggering 506 for four on the first day, ultimately securing a historic 3-0 series win.

During this period, the term “Bazball” gained popularity, much to McCullum’s chagrin. Despite his dislike for the label, it has clung to him persistently, often invoked when the team’s performance is under scrutiny.

Should the situation worsen in Adelaide this week, many, especially Australians who have derided the strategy from the outset, may deem the project a failure.

Until now, the Bazball era has produced 25 wins in 43 Tests, and only two series defeats out of 11. Equally, there is no doubt that this trip has long been the intended summit, regardless of the fact that McCullum’s contract is supposed to take him through to the home Ashes of 2027.

Does he consider it fair that three and a half years’ work will be considered to have gone up in smoke if England lose the third Test?

England coach Brendon McCullum maintains belief his side can get back into this Ashes series, despite staring down the barrel of another defeat Down Under

Questions will be asked regarding McCullum’s future if England are hammered by Australia this winter

‘It is what it is, right?’ he said. ‘We came here with high hopes and expectations, and we had a plan we felt would give ourselves the best chance of being successful.

‘We haven’t quite executed that so far in Australia, or seized those key moments, and hence they sit 2–0 up. It doesn’t mean we throw that plan out now.

‘If anything, we just need to chisel away at some of the things we haven’t got quite right, and make sure we still have that conviction in what we’re trying to achieve.’

McCullum tends to speak only at the end of a Test defeat. But he has grown increasingly paternal here in Australia, deliberately drawing the flak after the pink-ball game at the Gabba by suggesting his side had ‘over-trained’, and on Sunday holding the first press conference since his side returned from their four-day break in the holiday resort of Noosa.

‘That’s your job as a leader, and I’ll never shy away from protecting my players,’ he said. ‘There are times where you have to take your own scrutiny on board, and that’s fine. You sign up for these jobs because you know you’re tough enough to handle those situations.’

And there has been scrutiny, all right. The local media hammed up an altercation at Brisbane airport over the weekend between one of England’s security guards and a TV cameraman, but McCullum responded with the kind of calm he hopes will transmit to his players this week.

‘Obviously it wasn’t ideal,’ he said. ‘But hopefully it’s been dealt with and everyone’s able to move on. When you come to Australia, there’s a lot of intensity and scrutiny on everything you do. And I feel like we’ve managed ourselves pretty well throughout this tour.

‘It’s how you embrace that, how you’re able to lean into it, and how you’re still able to clear your mind when you walk out to play.’

McCullum, of course, was in charge when England last found themselves 2–0 down in the Ashes, in 2023. He nearly provoked sniggers on the Lord’s outfield by suggesting 3–2 had ‘a nice ring to it’, yet he almost got his wish.

Though many in Australia have erased the memory, Pat Cummins’s team were spared defeat only by five sessions of rain in Manchester. Now, England’s coach is sticking to the mantra, even if he has little choice.

‘We knew when we came here that we had to win three Tests to win the series,’ he said. ‘The fact that we’re 2–0 down means we’ve made it harder on ourselves, but it doesn’t stop the belief you have within the dressing-room.’

McCullum and captain Ben Stokes have spent the week rallying their troops

England blew a strong position in the opening Test in Perth but were second best for most of the day-night Test in Brisbane

Australia will continue to assail England from all angles, both before and during the Adelaide Test. The latest attack line is that the tourists turned down the chance to play a first-class match against Australia A at the MCG ahead of the series opener at Perth, though England insist the proposed dates were too close to the end of their white-ball tour of New Zealand to be feasible.

That is all history now. And McCullum is clinging to the belief that history is precisely what his team can make in the weeks ahead.

‘We’ve got to be quicker to adapt to conditions, and to the plans Australia set down, and be a little more calculated when we get the opportunity to put the foot on the throat. Australia are a resourceful team. They switch plans quickly and they buy into those plans quickly. We’ve probably been a little bit slow to do that so far.’

If England lose this week, and the tour unravels completely, that could well be the last meaningful rallying cry of McCullum’s reign. For the coach, and for Bazball, the stakes have never been higher.