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.
Ricky Ponting and Eoin Morgan, England’s 2019 World Cup-winning captain, were among the prime candidates to officially rule themselves out of contention, while Andy Flower‘s status as one of the most sought-after franchise coaches in the world game meant there was little prospect of him returning to the ECB, a decade after his last stint as England head coach ended in 2014.
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.”
The prospect of a unified vision for England’s squads may be particularly beneficial to Test incumbents such as Harry Brook and Gus Atkinson, young players who have significant futures across both set-ups, but whose opportunities to transfer their talents across formats will be restricted this winter by the cramped nature of the schedule, with England’s white-ball tour of the Caribbean falling directly between their three-Test tours of Pakistan and New Zealand.
Similarly, younger players – such as Jacob Bethell, Dan Mousley and Josh Hull, who are likely to make their international debuts in the coming white-ball series against Australia and will be prime candidates for the West Indies tour – ought to be better placed to make their cases for Test honours with McCullum now overseeing their full international development.
“The talent within English cricket is immense, and I’m looking forward to helping these players reach their full potential,” McCullum added. “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.”
McCullum is due to leave England immediately after the conclusion of the Sri Lanka series at The Kia Oval this week, and will return to New Zealand for a short break before rejoining the Test squad ahead of the Pakistan tour in October.
Andrew Miller is UK editor of ESPNcricinfo. @miller_cricket
