England Will Learn from Tri-Series Lessons, Says McCullum as He Praises Brook's Captaincy

England's white-ball coach Brendon McCullum believes his side have taken harsh but valuable lessons from the tri-series in Pakistan, and he singled out Harry Brook's captaincy and the players' resilience after a consolation win over Sri Lanka in Lahore. McCullum admitted the team were disappointed not to reach the final, but said the experience would be important for next year's 50-over World Cup in South Africa. According to him, the purpose of the series was not only to get results but also to test players in difficult conditions. In the final match of the series in Lahore, England set a target of 387 on the back of Ben Duckett's 167. Duckett's innings gave England a big total, but Sri Lanka's batters responded quickly. Sri Lanka were 300 for 5 after 40 overs, and Pavan Rathnayake was once again leading his team towards victory. Rathnayake had been the hero of Sri Lanka's successful 430-run chase in Rawalpindi last week. England were therefore in serious danger of a fourth successive defeat, and it was the third time in a row that they were on the verge of losing from a seemingly impregnable position. This time, however, England found the breakthroughs at the death that had eluded them in their recent painful defeats. Left-arm spinner Liam Dawson took 4 for 49 in ten overs and put the brakes on Sri Lanka's innings. Before that, England's bowlers had struggled to find rhythm under pressure, but Dawson changed the course of the match by taking key wickets at important moments. McCullum said the win revealed the character of the team, because even after a string of defeats the players refused to give up and fought back under pressure. McCullum told Sky Sports: “It was a very satisfying performance today. We were put under pressure again. We talked extensively before this tri-series about wanting to get experience into some of our guys, because while we have talent, we do not have a very experienced one-day side. To be honest, when they were five down, we were probably behind the game, but Brooky was able to slow it down, make some plays, and we got the wickets we needed. He will have grown enormously as a captain.” McCullum praised Brook not only for his tactics but also for his leadership. He said: “I think he is one of the best tactical captains I have ever come across. He has such an astute brain. He wears his intelligence lightly externally, but he is a very switched-on man and a very switched-on cricketer. The entire dressing room respects him. He leads them and they follow him.” He added that Brook's captaincy is not just about his own decisions but also about involving other players. According to McCullum, in matches where the game moves at breakneck speed and every decision can win or lose a match, Brook has learned a lot. He said the team were tested on several occasions, some players stood up and took responsibility, and others gained valuable lessons that will help them going forward. Communication is crucial in captaincy, and Brook handles it well. England did not have a chance to reach the series final, because Sri Lanka's win over Pakistan on Monday ended their mathematical possibility. McCullum said the team were “gutted” about it, but their focus is now on the next assignment. Despite being out of the final race, the coach described the team's attitude and the consolation win as positive signs. England will travel to Australia later this week for a warm-up match against Western Australia and then three ODIs. McCullum said the team will review what they got right and what they did not, so that they can keep improving. He said: “We want to be a team that can challenge seriously for the World Cup in 12 months' time. We know we need to get better, and we will. This experience has been very good for us, even though not making the final was disappointing.” He added that England will learn from the mistakes made in the series and become stronger. There were several bright individual performances for England. Brook made a career-best 202 against Sri Lanka, Duckett scored back-to-back hundreds in the last two matches, and Tom Banton hit three fifties at the top of the order. Dawson took seven wickets at an average of 21.42, which was especially notable because he was chosen ahead of senior spinner Adil Rashid, who was omitted for the final three games. McCullum said Dawson had done really well in Pakistan. He also acknowledged that left-arm spin was a consistent threat throughout the tournament, especially through Pakistan's Arafat Minhas, who tops the bowling averages with nine wickets at 16.11. McCullum said that looking at all three teams, leg spin did not play a big role, so England want to remain flexible in selection according to conditions and will not hesitate to change their strategy. He said Dawson is an experienced and highly competitive player who put his hand up when given the opportunity. On Rashid, he said conditions probably went against him on this occasion. England's real test now comes in Australia, where they must further strengthen their batting, bowling and decision-making under pressure before the World Cup. McCullum hopes the lessons from Pakistan will help in Australia and keep the team on the right path towards the World Cup.