Brendon McCullum to Lead England in Both Test and White-Ball Formats Under New 3 Years Deal
Brendon McCullum, the former New Zealand captain, who will remain in his current position as Test coach, has been named England’s new men’s white-ball head coach.
On September 3, 2024, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) declared McCullum’s contract renewal, citing it as a component of a “strategic restructure” meant to standardize the coaching methodology across formats. With his new three-year deal, McCullum will lead England in the home Ashes series early in 2027 as well as the next ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in South Africa.
With the news of the contract extension on Tuesday, McCullum will now be in charge of England’s white-ball performance through the upcoming 50-over World Cup in South Africa in October and November of 2027. He will also continue to lead the Test team through England’s upcoming home Ashes campaign earlier in the same year.
In November, England will embark on a white-ball tour of the Caribbean under Marcus Trescothick, who will serve as interim head coach for the upcoming series against Australia. McCullum will officially start his twin tenure in January 2025, just in time for England’s white-ball tour of India and the ICC Champions Trophy, which is scheduled to take place in Pakistan in February and March.
This agreement follows the July firing of Matthew Mott as England’s white-ball head coach due to the team’s dismal defense of its 50- and 20-over World Cup titles. Rob Key, the ECB’s director of men’s cricket, has pulled off a huge coup considering how many big names seemed reluctant to apply for the position.
A decade after his last tenure as England head coach ended in 2014, Andy Flower was one of the most sought-after franchise coaches in the world game, so there was little chance of him coming back to the ECB. Other leading candidates to officially rule themselves out of contention were Ricky Ponting and Eoin Morgan, the captain of England that won the 2019 World Cup.
When McCullum became England’s Test coach in May 2022, he had not expressed much enthusiasm in the white-ball post. But in the wake of his successful tenure in Test cricket, especially with regard to the ‘Bazball’ mentality that freed the team’s mindset towards both success and failure, he has now agreed to take that philosophy to a white-ball setup led by Jos Buttler, which is undergoing a generational change in the upcoming international cycle.
“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time with the Test team, and I’m excited to extend my role to include the white-ball sides,” McCullum said. “This new challenge is something I’m ready to embrace, and I’m eager to work closely with Jos and the team to build on the strong foundations that are already in place.”
By doing this, McCullum will become the first England men’s coach to manage both the red- and white-ball teams since his predecessor in charge of the Test team, Chris Silverwood. A united role has also been nearly impossible for England due to the sheer volume of matches on their recent schedule—their Twenty20 international series against Australia, for example, starts one day after the conclusion of the upcoming third Test against Sri Lanka—but Key mentioned a relative “easing” in the fixture list starting in 2025 that has made McCullum’s appointment more likely.
“I’m delighted that Brendon has chosen to do both roles now with England,” Key said. “I think it is tremendously fortunate for us that a coach of his caliber is willing to dedicate himself fully to English cricket. We are really excited to be able to align all of the teams at this point, and we are eager to take on any difficulties that may arise.
“For the past two years, there have been frequent conflicts between forms, which have made the white-ball situation difficult; thankfully, these are beginning to lessen in January. We’re convinced that this restructuring will bring out the best in our players and coaching staff, and the timing of the calendar [beginning in January] will enable him to devote the required attention to both responsibilities.”
McCullum continued, saying, “Rob Key struck a chord with me over the direction of English cricket. With the timetable being less demanding the next year, the concept of a single coaching organization made perfect sense. The idea of leading both teams excites me, and I’m appreciative of the ECB’s and my family’s support as I assume these new duties.”
Test players like Harry Brook and Gus Atkinson, who have bright futures in both sets of cricket, may benefit the most from the possibility of a cohesive vision for England’s teams. The tight schedule this winter will limit these players’ opportunities to showcase their skills in other formats, as England’s three-Test tours of Pakistan and New Zealand coincide with a white-ball tour of the Caribbean.
Similarly, with McCullum now in charge of their entire international development, younger players like Josh Hull, Dan Mousley, and Jacob Bethell—who will probably make their debuts for their country in the upcoming white-ball series against Australia and be strong contenders for the West Indies tour—should be in a better position to argue for Test honours.
“The talent within English cricket is immense, and I’m looking forward to helping these players reach their full potential,” McCullum continued. “My goal is to create an environment where everyone can thrive and where we can continue to compete at the highest level across all formats.”
Following this week’s end of the Sri Lanka series at The Kia Oval, McCullum is scheduled to depart England immediately. He will then have a little vacation back to New Zealand before re-joining the Test team in time for the October trip of Pakistan.
