Brendon McCullum defends ‘Over-Prepared’ remark, addresses England’s clash with Australian media

England head coach Brendon McCullum opened up about a minor altercation at the airport involving a team security guard and a cameraman ahead of the third Test in the Ashes 2025-26. McCullum also responded to his remark that the team had “over-prepared” for the recent Test match in Brisbane under lights.

According to reports, a 7News cameraman was filming England’s players at Brisbane airport. A member of the team’s security staff confronted the cameraman. Footage shows the guard extending an arm to shove the camera operator, telling him not to “be clever” as he pushed him along for several metres.

I Didn’t See the Cameraman Clash, But... - Brendon McCullum

Brendon McCullum was asked about the security guard’s clash with the Channel Seven cameraman at Brisbane airport. McCullum praised his players for handling the spotlight and scrutiny with maturity. He felt the group had conducted themselves well throughout the tour.

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“I didn’t see it (the cameraman clash), but obviously it wasn’t ideal,” McCullum told reporters in Adelaide on Sunday afternoon.

“Hopefully it’s been dealt with, and everyone’s able to move on. We know that coming to Australia, there’s a lot of eyeballs and a lot of intense scrutiny on everything you do, and I feel like we’ve managed ourselves pretty well throughout this tour,” he added.

We Had Five Intense Training Sessions - Brendon McCullum

England decided not to play a pink-ball warm-up match despite having extra days available. Brendon McCullum stated that the squad had actually been “over-prepared” after the Brisbane Test.

McCullum clarified that the team packed in five heavy training sessions, which he felt drained their energy before the match. He pointed out that conditions under lights demanded instincts and quick adjustments rather than the kind of routine net practice they had focused on.

“What I meant by us being over-prepared, is we had five intense training sessions, where in my opinion, we left ourselves a fraction short in terms of our energy and ability to play what was in front of us,” McCullum continued.

“On that wicket, it required quite a different game to what you train in the nets. You have to think on your feet, you have to be able to manoeuvre your game. If you over-prepare or over-train based on how many balls you hit on a true surface, it can leave you a little over-prepared in that moment.”

This Test Match, I Actually Felt Like We Over-Prepared - Brendon McCullum

England had the chance to gain more pink-ball practice ahead of the Brisbane Test. They could have played against the Prime Minister’s XI or used the extra days after the Perth Test. However, they decided to have intensive net sessions at the Gabba while the Lions played in Canberra.

Brendon McCullum stated that the team may have pushed too hard in training. The head coach said that the players went into the match well-drilled but not mentally fresh, which is often just as important in high-pressure situations.

“This Test match, I actually felt like we over-prepared,” McCullum said following his side’s loss in Brisbane. “When you’re in the heat of the battle, as we all know, sometimes the most important thing is to feel a little bit fresh.

“I’m a horse-racing man, and you wouldn’t just keep doing the same thing with your horse, you’d send it around in figure-eights or over the little jumps, just to try and switch it on a bit. We’ll look at some alternative methods over the next few days.”

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