McCullum's impatience hurt NZ: Chappell

Brendon McCullum prides himself on being inventive but did New Zealand's captain creative take it too far in the first Test?

Ian Chappell certainly thinks so, suggesting an impatient McCullum unsettled his bowlers in the early stages of the Gabba clash.

Australia made a flying start to the three-Test series, David Warner and Joe Burns putting on an 161-run opening stand.

Both Warner and Burns started in unconvincing fashion.

Tim Southee conceded one run in opening first four overs, regularly threatening to remove both openers.

Yet the Black Caps struggled after the opening hour, Warner and Burns both starting to play their shots and counter-attack.

True to form, McCullum was always thinking outside the box.

He tweaked the field during the first over and rarely stopped.

The 11th over was the most extreme example - starting with an 8-1 field then stacking the leg side in an attempt to unsettle Warner.

"McCullum contributed to their problems by having some impatient captaincy," Chappell said in Nine Network commentary.

"It was almost like he was trying to justify his reputation as being a very inventive captain.

"In doing that he didn't help his bowlers.

"He made his bowlers, who were bowling very well, become impatient. Particularly Tim Southee."

Mark Taylor, sitting alongside Chappell, agreed.

"It can be very tiring for a fielding side if you keeping changing it so often. Particularly if it's not working," Taylor said.

Southee regularly switched from going over the wicket to around during the latter stages of his six-over opening spell.

"Major changes like that are only going to disrupt a bowler and his rhythm," Chappell said.

McCullum continued to change things up in the second session, asking part-time Kane Williamson to bowl the first over after lunch.