Brendon McCullum compares Ashes to a ‘heavyweight boxing fight,’ hails ‘amazing’ Stuart Broad and his achievements | Cricket News

England coach Brendon McCullum has compared the Ashes series to a heavyweight bout between two top teams and lauded Stuart Broad for his amazing achievements and explains why the seamer deserved to go on his own term.
“Amazing to be part of this series. Two incredible cricket teams with contrasting style much like a heavyweight boxing fight and it lived up to the billing. It was really special,” McCullum told Sky Sports.
“I am very proud of the way our boys stayed very strong to what we want to do throughout the series. It is a nice reflection of a great series,” he said.

McCullum lauded Stuart Broad, who announced his retirement said the team is going to miss the stalwart of England cricket in the dressing room.

“Broad writes his own scripts” 📝
Brendon McCullum says the Ashes is ‘like a heavyweight fight’ after England drew the series 2-2 against Australia pic.twitter.com/smbMbZbBWR
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 31, 2023
“What he has been able to achieve is absolutely amazing. It’s hard to really sum up in few words what Stuart Broad is about and what the impact he has had on this game.
“What he has been able to bring to the dressing room in the last 14-15 months. It is nothing sort of unbelievable. He is a one true competitor, he writes his own scripts, and to go out as a fairytale that he has done is a testament to that. We are going to miss him huge amount. He deserves to leave on his terms,” he said.
McCullum accepted that there were few nerves when they lost the first two Tests but praised his side for getting better and better as the series progressed.
“It was challenging at the time,” he said.

“I think you come in to the series with a lofty ambitions about how you want to play and when both teams starts on an even cue, you are pretty strong with the belief but when you do go two nil down, particularly in games like where we felt like you had your opportunities to win. It can be quite testing.
“With the skipper’s convincing and his belief in the direction he wants his team to take and the experience we have got in the group helped us to hold the fort. We went better and better as the series went on. That was probaly the most pleasing aspect to stay true when you are under pressure.
What we see in the last three matches is that the team has really grow up and really comes to the term with the style of cricket we want to play,” he said.