Overview
- Head coach Brendon McCullum dismissed claims of a booze-driven tour, saying many players do not drink and any socialising was not to excess.
- The ECB review follows England’s 4-1 Ashes loss and seeks to establish facts around preparation, conduct and team standards.
- English media reports, led by The Telegraph, describe a tactical and philosophical split between McCullum and captain Ben Stokes during the series.
- The reported divergence included disagreements over training intensity and is said to have led to mixed messaging and muddled selections such as deploying Will Jacks at No. 8.
- Off-field scrutiny includes a viral clip purporting to show Ben Duckett intoxicated and an earlier New Zealand incident that reportedly brought vice-captain Harry Brook a £30,000 fine.