Brendon McCullum Sacked as England Test Coach

Brendon McCullum has been sacked as England’s men’s Test coach, with the England and Wales Cricket Board opting for a completely fresh start for the side following the recent retirement of the red-ball captain, Ben Stokes.

The decision came one day after McCullum guided England to the top of the T20 rankings, and he will continue to coach the men’s white-ball teams.

McCullum said he was “gutted” after being told his services are no longer required, and he will not be involved in preparations for the three-match series against Pakistan in August and September.

The timing of the announcement is curious, with England playing three ODIs against India next week before a gap of precisely one month without any fixtures. McCullum spoke at length to the media on Saturday after England completed a superb 4-0 T20 series win over India without giving any indication that he knew it was coming.

The initial impact made by McCullum’s partnership with Stokes was extraordinary, and a team that had won one of its previous 17 Tests proceeded to win 10 of their first 11 under his stewardship, using an attacking brand of cricket that was swiftly christened Bazball. But there have been diminishing returns, and England won only three of his last 11 Tests in charge, including a bruising defeat in the Ashes, amid a souring of his relationship with Stokes. He finishes with the overall record of 27 wins, 20 defeats and two draws in 49 games.

“I’ve absolutely loved coaching the Test side and I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved together. There’ve been some unbelievable highs and a few tough days along the way, but that’s all part of taking on a challenge like this,” McCullum said. “It’s been a privilege and an honour, and I’m grateful. Grateful to the players, the staff and the fans who supported us on the journey. Of course I’m gutted not to be continuing, but I respect the decision. My focus now is on giving everything I’ve got to the white ball teams and helping England keep moving forward.

“I wish the Test team nothing but success. There’s a hell of a lot of talent in that dressing room and they’re a special bunch of lads. I’ll always be backing the boys, with a smile on my face, and hoping they keep taking the game on. I know they’ll continue to make people proud.”

After Stokes backed England’s white-ball captain, Harry Brook, as his successor and Brook made it clear he would welcome the opportunity, and given that Brook and McCullum enjoy a very close relationship – “I consider him not just a good mate, but like he’s almost one of my other sons,” McCullum said on Saturday – there was a widespread assumption the pair would be given a chance to replicate their recent T20 successes in the longest format. But the ECB has opted for a clean break, with Richard Gould, the CEO, saying he “now believes that the time is right to make a change as we target victory in the Ashes next summer”.

Rob Key, the ECB’s managing director of men’s cricket, said: “Some of England’s most memorable moments in recent history have occurred under Brendon’s leadership of the Test team. It’s been an absolute privilege to watch him shape the mentality of the team, to one the players have loved, and see him develop a new generation of talent who will be at the heart of England men’s teams for years to come. He leaves the Test team well set and poised to achieve great things.”