'Don't know if it's anger but...': McCullum hopeful Bairstow incident will 'galvanise' Eng for Ashes comeback
Brendon McCullum hopeful Jonny Bairstow incident will 'galvanise' England for Ashes comeback.
England went down to Australia by 43 runs on Day 5 of the second Ashes Test, at Lord's, on Sunday (July 2). The final day began with England resuming at 114 for 4 before the home side lost both Ben Duckett (83) and Jonny Bairstow (10), in a controversial manner, as captain Ben Stokes upped the ante and stitched an entertaining 108-run seventh-wicket stand with Stuart Broad.
The partnership ended with Josh Hazlewood dismissing Stokes for a brilliant 155, laced with nine fours and equal number of sixes, but his departure led to England being dismissed for 327. Thus, the home side lost by 43 runs to concede a 2-0 lead. While Stokes' majestic knock made heads turn, Bairstow's dismissal also led to varied opinions in the cricketing fraternity and social media platforms. The Englishman was caught wandering off the crease after he ducked a slower bouncer off Cameron Green. He soon left the crease as he felt the ball was dead before Aussie wicketkeeper Alex Carey stumped him out; leaving his counterpart shellshocked.
Since then, some have pointed fingers at Australia for foul play whereas a majority feel the right call was made as Bairstow was caught being careless. Following the controversial dismissal, England Test coach Brendon McCullum is hopeful the Bairstow incident will galvanise England unit for a memorable Ashes comeback.
Speaking to BBC Cricket, he said, "I don't know if it's anger but the unit is galvanised. There are times as a coach where you've got to reduce emotion because it's going to bubble over and you can make poor decisions, but there's times when you allow emotion to go because it's going to galvanise the unit."
Also Read:Ashes 2023: Stuart Broad questions Australia's 'cultural change' after Lord's Test controversy
"That's what I felt this emotion did for the side. I looked around the group and the guys were a little upset. If that helps us to win those key moments in the next Test, then I'm all for it," McCullum added.
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
National Handloom Day 2026: From Alia Bhatt to Samantha Ruth Prabhu; Actresses who celebrated India's textile heritage as brides
)
The Royals enter the Doctor Who universe: King Charles and Queen Camilla beam into Commonwealth Games in TARDIS
)
Unitree Robotics targets $9 billion valuation in landmark IPO backed by DeepSeek and Tencent
)
India names 27 sites in Arunachal Pradesh
)
Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata OTT: When will Kangana Ranaut's film stream online?
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
How many soldiers operate one S-400 battery?
)
Shakib Al Hasan ready to return to Bangladesh—under one condition
)
‘Fake news’: MEA rejects report claiming India sought defence pact with Israel after Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey deal
)
Rockstar to unveil GTA 6 extended look ahead of November launch
)
Russia forms Ukrainian Volunteer Spetsnaz Brigade to fight Ukraine
)
Drug-resistant fungus that hides in hair and enters bloodstream reported in 23 US states
)
Technology transfer deal boosts India's defence manufacturing ambitions
)
Border row erupts in Europe after Ceuta crossings, Spain imposes border controls on Italy
)
Morale plummets on USS Abraham Lincoln: Are US sailors reaching a breaking point? | GRAVITAS
)
'Security can't be bought with Pakistan, Turkey deal': Iran tells Saudi Arabia
)
Baba Vanga's 2026 prophecy: 2 predictions 'already came true', 3 terrifying ones remain. Details inside
)
Colombia’s new president Abelardo de la Espriella vows to ‘defeat narco-terrorists’, signals hardline shift
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
New Friday OTT releases (August 7, 2026): Operation Safed Sagar, Vadhandhi, Main Vaapis Aaunga- 6 movies and TV shows on Netflix, Prime Video and more
)
Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth scripts history as Indian Air Force gets its first woman ‘Top Gun’ pilot
)
RSS says Gen Z protests reflect genuine distress
)
Trump says Iranian school bombing photos could be AI-generated - 'I don’t think...'
)
IAF officer held for sharing sensitive information in 'honey trap' case, booked under Official Secrets Act
)
Stray Kids under scrutiny? Fans react to Grammy submission silence after BTS boycott
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the Su-30MKI doesn't need external fuel tanks to fly vast distances
)
Jugal Hansraj reunites with Shekhar Kapur after 40 years for Masoom: The Next Generation
)
New speed limits, automatic challans: Big traffic change coming to Delhi-Meerut Expressway. All you need to know
)
India officially names 27 places in Arunachal to counter China's renaming claims
)
Trump calls White House ballroom ruling a 'national disgrace' as court says Congress approval needed
)
US sanctions Iran’s crypto network after Strait of Hormuz attacks, offers $15m bounty for intel on IRGC finance
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the Su-30MKI is one of the heaviest fighters ever built
)
Uttarakhand young innovator builds India's own flying vehicle, conducts first test flight: WATCH
)
Chilling video shows students take cover as teen opens fire at Thai school
)
Reese Witherspoon's father hospitalised after poolside incident in Nashville: Report
The third Ashes Test gets underway on Thursday (July 6) at Leeds, Headingley. With the series at a decisive stage, England are expected to make a strong comeback in Headingley -- where they beat Australia by one wicket in pursuit of 359 in the 2019 edition.