'We’ll play is a very watchful style of cricket' - Brendon McCullum on England's style of play on 'tough tour'

Visitors England are all set to take on India during their white-ball tour which will commence on Wednesday, January 22. The 20-over leg will be followed by three One-Day Internationals (ODIs). In the same vein, there has been a lot of talk surrounding how the visitors would approach the series.

Meanwhile, head coach, Brendon McCullum, clarified the brand of cricket which could be expected from the English unit throughout the series.

“I know it’s going to be a tough tour, taking on a very good Indian side, but I’m sure we’ll play what I hope is a very watchful style of cricket. It’s great, actually. That’s really exciting, I think. Obviously, we’ve known for a couple of months this was going to unfold, and it’s been great," he stated at the pre-series press conference on Monday, January 20.

The former New Zealand wicketkeeper-batter further elaborated on the long-term goal he had set and had in mind with the vibrant squad at his disposal. 

“You won’t win every game you play, right? We’re fiercely competitive and want to be successful, but for us, the conversations in the dressing room are different. It’s about getting the best out of the talent we have, gelling the guys together, and finding the right complementary skills. We’ve got a batting lineup that’s as powerful as any in the world. We’ve got gun spinners, top fielders, and guys who bowl absolute rockets with the ball. It’s about using those strengths to entertain and maximise our chances," he noted.

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I am sure you will see him smiling on the field: McCullum

Furthermore, McCullum shed light on skipper Jos Buttler's temperament while leading the side, in addition with his expectations from himself in terms of batting.

“If you can let yourself go with nothing to prove other than getting the best out of those around you, sometimes that can free you up even more, and you can perform really strongly. He is fully on board with that. He is excited about the next little while. I am sure you will see him smiling on the field," added McCullum.

The head coach also confirmed that Buttler wouldn't be handed over the gloves, and would be rather seen in the outfield.

“He (Buttler) won’t be keeping wickets in this series. He’s going to catch them from the field, and I think that’s a really positive thing for us because it gives Jos the opportunity to have the last say with the bowler and to have that relationship build at their last second rather than being, you know, 22 yards away," he concluded.

The series against India comes after a successful three-match Test series against New Zealand in December. England would be hoping to ffine-tunetheir skills ahead of the much-anticipated Champions Trophy.