McCullum says England have not finalised Ashes XI as selectors weigh No. 3 choice

England have not yet decided on the 11 players who will start the first Ashes Test in Perth on 21 November, coach Brendon McCullum said, with the No. 3 spot among the few genuine doubts for a side expected to be largely settled.

The principal selection question is whether vice-captain Ollie Pope, an experienced middle-order batter who has averaged 39.01 with eight centuries since McCullum and captain Ben Stokes took charge in 2022, will keep the No. 3 position or yield it to 21-year-old Jacob Bethell, who has rapidly impressed since his introduction to international cricket.

Bethell struck his first professional century in the third one-day international against South Africa and has already shown adaptability, having previously made three half-centuries at No. 3 last winter when Pope moved down the order to act as wicketkeeper. McCullum said selectors and coaches would continue to monitor Bethell’s development but stressed the youngster’s potential.

"We've got a few other fish to fry before we get there, but I think we've said since we introduced Jacob that he's got a huge future in front of him," McCullum said. "He's very quickly taken to international cricket and things have come really quickly for him as well. He's going to have some life — 21 years of age and being able to play like he does, and have the head on his shoulders that he's got too. He'll just keep working hard and we'll see what unfolds."

Bethell will have further opportunities to press his Ashes claim in T20 internationals against South Africa this week, followed by three T20s and three ODIs in New Zealand ahead of the tour to Australia. In between those fixtures, he is set to become the youngest man to captain an England side when he leads an under-strength team against Ireland later this month.

McCullum indicated there was no fixed XI already locked in his head. "No, not yet. We will work out that when we get to Australia," he said.

Two players McCullum expects to include in Perth are opener Ben Duckett and wicketkeeper Jamie Smith, both of whom have been withdrawn from this week's T20 matches against South Africa to allow a brief rest before the winter programme. Duckett had appeared fatigued during the recent ODIs, which followed the intense campaign of The Hundred and the five-Test series in India.

"I spoke to him and said 'I think you need to freshen up'," McCullum said. "I'm in the racing game and not even Phar Lap can go around every week. Even he needs to go to the paddock occasionally. He'll have a decent break at home, as will Jamie Smith."

McCullum also defended pace bowler Sonny Baker, who on his England debut at Headingley returned the most expensive figures for an England debutant but has been retained in the squad for the coming T20s and the Ireland trip. The coach said the experience was intentional and part of a longer-term plan to blood promising players.

"He's good — I've been really impressed with Sonny, to be honest," McCullum said. "The way, even in that game, he kept running in and kept trying different things. I said to him before the game and I reiterate it now, this is just the start for him. We wanted to give him a taste. We wanted to get him around the group and he'll be a part of the squads moving forward. He's got an immense amount of talent and he bowls at good, high pace and is able to swing the ball both ways. If we can add some craft and some touch to that, as he matures and experiences this level more often, he's just going to keep getting better and better."

England's 342-run victory in Southampton, recorded on the final day of that ODI series, stands as the largest margin of victory by runs in England's ODI history. That dominant win, however, came after England had been convincingly beaten in two earlier matches when the series was still in contention.

McCullum highlighted scheduling strains that affected preparation, noting five players were unable to train before the first game because it occurred so soon after The Hundred final. He called the timing "isn't ideal" and said the team had met some players for the first time on the morning of a match.

"It is the first time we've ever met someone on the morning of a game," he said. "But that's just how it is and we've got to be a bit more understanding of that and try and find ways in the future to be able to try and get up and going a little bit quicker."

England's immediate schedule includes T20s against South Africa and a short tour of New Zealand that will give selectors a final chance to assess squad depth and form before travel to Australia. With the Ashes opener less than three months away, McCullum and his backroom staff are balancing the need to settle a core team with opportunities to develop younger players ahead of what is expected to be a hostile Australian summer.