Bazball for all...
Liberating the teams success and failure in all formats now
Former New Zealand captain signs contract extension which will run until end of 2027
www.espncricinfo.com
Brendon McCullum to combine Test and white-ball coaching roles in new England deal
Former New Zealand captain signs contract extension which will run until end of 2027
Andrew Miller
03-Sep-2024 • 9 hrs ago
Brendon McCullum has been announced as England's new men's white-ball head coach, and will combine that role with his existing Test duties. McCullum has agreed a remarkable new three-year deal as part of what the ECB has termed a "strategic restructure" within the men's set-up.
The contract extension, announced on Tuesday, means that McCullum is set to oversee England's white-ball fortunes, up to and including the next 50-over World Cup in South Africa in October-November 2027, while also guiding the Test squad all the way through to England's next home Ashes campaign, earlier that same year.
Marcus Trescothick, England's interim head coach for the upcoming series against Australia, will continue in that role for the white-ball tour of the Caribbean in November, with McCullum officially beginning his twin tenure in January 2025, in time for their white-ball tour of India, and the ICC Champions Trophy which is set to take place in Pakistan in February and March.
The deal comes in the wake of
Matthew Mott's sacking as white-ball head coach in July, following England's disappointing defences of both their 50- and 20-over World Cup titles. It is a significant coup for the ECB, and their director of men's cricket, Rob Key, given the apparent reluctance of a host of major names to put their names forward for the role.
McCullum himself had shown little interest in the white-ball role when he took over as England's Test coach in May 2022.
However, amid the subsequent success of his Test tenure, in particular the so-called 'Bazball' mentality that helped to liberate the team's attitude to success and failure, he has now agreed to carry that ethos across to a white-ball set-up, captained by Jos Buttler, that is set to undergo a generational shift over the course of the coming 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."
In so doing, McCullum will become the first England men's coach since his Test predecessor,
Chris Silverwood, to oversee both the red- and white-ball squads. And while the sheer volume of matches in England's recent schedule has meant that a united role has been nigh on impossible - their T20I series against Australia, for instance, begins one day after the end of the forthcoming third Test against Sri Lanka - Key pointed to a relative "easing" in the fixture list from 2025 onwards that has made McCullum's appointment more feasible.
"I'm delighted that Brendon has chosen to do both roles now with England," Key said. "I believe we are incredibly fortunate that a coach of his quality is prepared to commit wholeheartedly to English cricket. Being able to align all teams now is particularly exciting and we look forward to taking on all challenges that come our way.
"For the last two years, constant clashes between formats have made it challenging for the white-ball environment; fortunately, these are easing starting from January. The timing of the schedule [from January] will allow him to dedicate the necessary focus to both roles, and we're confident this restructure will bring out the best in our players and coaching staff."
McCullum added: "Rob Key's vision for the future of English cricket is something that really resonated with me. The idea of a unified coaching structure, especially with the schedule easing next year, made perfect sense. I'm energised by the prospect of guiding both teams and am grateful for the support from the ECB and my family as I take on these added responsibilities."
Just reading that article, feels a little close to home.
www.foxsports.com.au
