The wealth of experience in Australia's ranks helped them remain calm in a difficult lead-up to the Ashes, fast bowler Mitchell Starc said after they defeated England on Sunday to win the series with two matches to spare.
From McCullum, there was greater support for another England batter, Jamie Smith, who he said works very hard on his game. The wicketkeeper-batter joined the team at the start of 2024.
Australia pacer Michael Neser found day one of his maiden Boxing Day Test a dream come true.
Sarfaraz last featured in the IPL in 2023, turning out for Delhi Capitals in a match against Sunrisers Hyderabad. He failed to attract bidders in the auctions that followed, despite consistently strong returns in domestic cricket.
Starc reached his second fifty of the series in 73 balls, striking eight fours, before England finally struck back. Archer ended Lyon's resistance, trapping him plumb in front for 9, and Australia were soon bowled out for 371 in 91.2 overs.
Steyn, however, said his team had "exceeded expectations" on their tour of India.
Starc also pointed out that the wicket did not assist pacers that much with the new ball and expressed concerns over Nathan Lyon's injury on the final day of the Test and the setback to Hazlewood.
Cricket Australia were left millions of dollars out of pocket, having to refund tickets for a confirmed sell-out crowd on day three at the 100,000-seat stadium and for another large crowd for day four.
England opener Zak Crawley said Australia had shown why they were favourites coming into the Ashes after a tough day four at Adelaide Oval left the tourists staring down the barrel of a series defeat on Saturday.
It was a relieved Ben Stokes bidding good riddance to more than a decade of pain for English cricket in Australia on Saturday as his team rallied from the depths to complete a drought-breaking Test win in Melbourne.
Bazball is in the firing line, with former players and pundits decrying the high-risk game on Australia's spicy pitches.
Meanwhile, Australian captain Pat Cummins also commented on the DRS controversy, noting that RTS appeared to be different from UltraEdge.
Australia opener Usman Khawaja has been ruled out of the second Ashes Test against in England in Brisbane later this week by a back problem.
A wicket-laden Boxing Day Test at the MCG triggered widespread debate, with former cricketers from both Australia and England questioning whether the pitch offered far too much for the bowlers.
The Perth Stadium pitch that saw Australia complete a thumping eight-wicket Ashes win inside two days over England has earned the ICC's (ICC) highest rating.
'...we carry all this love with us, and we will definitely return, hopefully one day to play a match or on another occasion, but we will definitely return to visit India.'
The England players have come in for heavy criticism since Australia wrapped up an 82-run win in the third Test in Adelaide on Sunday to take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series.
England need to produce "something magical" on day four of the third Ashes Test against Australia if they are to have any chance of turning the tide, the visitors' spin bowling coach Jeetan Patel said on Friday.
Ravichandran Ashwin hails Travis Head after his 69-ball century, the second-fastest in Ashes history, helped Australia easily chase down 205 runs on Day 2 of first Ashes Test.
'I think it's a huge credit to (head coach) Andrew McDonald, the coaching staff and the medical staff that we feel like we've got a big squad that we can draw on.'
'It (the pitch) wasn't free-flowing. You felt comfortable, but the scoreboard wasn't going anywhere.'
England need to alter their approach if they hope to claw their way back after their disastrous start to the Ashes series and avoid another drubbing, former Australia paceman Mitchell Johnson said.
He said he might have reviewed the caught-behind decision himself had he been given out -- but not with great confidence.
England have not won the Ashes in Australia after losing the first Test since the 1950s but McCullum and Stokes will remain convinced they can turn the series around, just as they did against South Africa in 2022 when they won 2-1 after losing the opener at Lord's.
Travis Head smashed a blistering century at the top of the order to set up an eight-wicket win in the Ashes series opener in Perth.
Australia's Lyon angry at being dropped for second Ashes Test
England's Stokes praises Australia's Head, supports his own errant batters
The overwhelmingly bowler-friendly Melbourne pitch on which 20 wickets fell on Day 1 of the Boxing Day Test has prompted Kevin Pietersen and Dinesh Kartik to point out the selective criticism of Indian tracks when spinners get wickets in a heap.
Former England fast bowler Stuart Broad said the second Ashes Test starting Thursday next week will be a lottery and the toss is a key factor in Brisbane with the pink ball.
Mitchell Starc and Ben Stokes set the scene for a dramatic Ashes series.
Australian batter Josh Inglis, who was to be available for only four IPL matches next year, could play more games after securing a hefty bid from Lucknow Super Giants in the recent players' auction, triggering uneasiness in the BCCI and his former franchise Punjab Kings.
Review technology under fire again in Adelaide Ashes Test
England are unlikely to tinker with their side for the second Ashes Test against Australia starting in Brisbane next week despite being thumped in the opening match, their former fast bowler James Anderson said.
During England's run-chase of 435 runs, Lyon had taken three crucial wickets in the second innings and a total of five throughout the game to help his side gain an upper hand.
Besides his batting, he was just as exceptional behind the stumps, taking some really clean catches to prove his mettle as one of the best glovesmen in world cricket right now.
The Ashes could be decided within days at an Adelaide Oval furnace where England's hopes of wresting back the urn will fire anew or flame out entirely against a strengthened Australia.
England 'quietly confident' heading into Ashes series, says Wood
Australia's Travis Head says he is prepared to open the batting once more against England during the ongoing Ashes series after his second innings display in the first Test in Perth last week led the home side to an eight-wicket victory over the tourists.
Marnus Labuschagne said the time for such experiments was over.
Australia, England registered shameful record during first Ashes Test at Perth as express pace dominates proceedings
