Brendon McCullum is England’s new head coach
Former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum has been appointed as England Men’s team head coach. The 40-year-old is currently coaching Kolkata Knight Riders in Indian Premier League. His first assignment will be the home series against New Zealand beginning on June 2, 2022 at Lord’s.
McCullum has represented New Zealand in 101 Tests, 260 ODIs and 71 T20Is.
“We are delighted to confirm Brendon as England Men’s Test Head Coach. It has been a real privilege to get to know him and understand his views and vision for the game. I believe his appointment will be good for England’s Test team,” Managing Director of England’s Men’s Cricket Rob Key said.
Brendon McCullum is said to have impressed ECB’s selection panel comprising Key, Tom Harrison [CEO], Andrew Strauss [Strategic Adviser] and Mo Bobat [Performance Director], leading to a unanimous decision to appoint him.Lauding what McCullum brought to New Zealand cricket in his 101-match career that included a four-year captaincy stint between 2012 and 2016, Key said: “He has a recent history of changing cricket culture and environments for the better, and I believe he is the person to do that for England’s red-ball cricket. We were incredibly fortunate to have a seriously strong list of quality candidates for the post, with Brendon demonstrating he was our number one choice.”
“I believe in Brendon and Ben Stokes – a formidable coach and captain partnership. Time for us all to buckle up and get ready for the ride,” he added.
McCullum echoed Key’s thoughts of starting a new era of Test cricket for England under Stokes. “Ben Stokes is the perfect character to inspire change around him, and I look forward to working closely with him to build a successful unit around us,” McCullum said.
“I’d like to say how pleased I am to be given this opportunity to positively contribute to England’s Test cricket set-up and move the team forward into a more successful era. In taking this role on, I am acutely aware of the significant challenges the team faces at present, and I strongly believe in my ability to help the team emerge as a stronger force once we’ve confronted them head-on,” he added.
“I’ve enjoyed several robust conversations with Rob Key about the direction of travel for the team and have found his enthusiasm contagious. I’m no stranger to bringing about change within a team environment, and I can’t wait to get started.
