Ashes: England to ditch training after pink-ball Test battering
In both Perth and Brisbane, the tourists were decidedly second-best and received all-round criticism, chiefly for their laid-back build-up and shunning of practice games.
New Delhi: Demoralised England would take a mini break from training as part of rest and recuperation from the pummelling in the opening two Ashes Tests that they lost inside six days of action against Australia.
In both Perth and Brisbane, the tourists were decidedly second-best and received all-round criticism, chiefly for their laid-back build-up and shunning of practice games.
Now they again look to take that pathway at resort town of Noosa in south Queensland before they focus on the third Test in Adelaide next week.
No matter how much former England players question, head coach Brendon McCullum believes over-training drained them before the pink-ball Test and led to their eight-wicket thrashing at the Gabba.
As part of course correction, they now will put away their training kits for the next two days and take a pre-planned break on the Sunshine Coast north of Brisbane.
England players will also have access to a selection of championship courses to play a round of golf before taking a dip in the Pacific Ocean.
"We've got a couple days in Noosa so we can spend some time together more casually and let the dust settle on what has been a pretty intense couple of weeks and start to plot and plan our way back into the series," McCullum told Seven Network.
On the field, they have been rolled over, off it the English players have taken rides in e-scooters in the streets of Brisbane.
"There's a great saying that I know – are you going to 'train to train' or are you going to train to dominate?" England captain Ben Stokes said.
Handling pressure
England have floundered on all departments and put down five catches in Australia's first innings in Brisbane, leaving Stokes wondering why they kept fumbling when put under pressure in pivotal moments.
At Adelaide, they have to show they can excel and handle tough situations in order to make a turnaround in the series.
"It's also very important that when you do get the opportunity you are able to go away and refresh your mind, because obviously in Adelaide we need to be physically and mentally very good," Stokes said.