Key is a lovely fellow but he might consider whether he has let McCullum and Stokes have too much of what they want. Instead of challenging that, being someone to will keep Stokes and McCullum's feet to the fire, Key signed it off. England have decent players like Zak Crawley, who played beautifully in scoring 85 yesterday after struggling for two Tests, or Jamie Smith. I said half-jokingly after the second Test in Brisbane that England would play well now in Adelaide because they had had their two warm-ups. And if Stokes and McCullum are in as reflective mood as it appears, they must also consider the environment in their own dressing room.

Source: BBC December 21, 2025 18:27 UTC