London: The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) have confirmed that men’s Test head coach Brendon McCullum will also take on the role of England’s white-ball head coach as part of a strategic restructure of the men’s senior set-up. This signals a move away from the split-coaching model that Rob Key, Managing Director of England men’s cricket, reintroduced in 2022 after an eight-year break.
McCullum, who has been at the helm since May 2022, has extended his contract until the end of 2027. He will assume leadership of both the Test and white-ball teams starting January 2025, coinciding with England’s white-ball tour of India and the ICC Champions Trophy.
Marcus Trescothick will serve as interim head coach for the upcoming series against Australia and the tour of the Caribbean later this year.
Commenting on the restructure, Rob said, “I’m delighted that Brendon has chosen to do both roles now with England. 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,” he added.
On taking the twin coaching role, McCullum said he is excited to link up with white-ball captain Jos Buttler and work with the white-ball setup.
“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time with the Test team, and I’m excited to extend my role to include the white-ball sides. This new challenge is something I’m ready to embrace, and I’m eager to work closely with Jos (Buttler) and the team to build on the strong foundations that are already in place,” he said.
“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 talent within English cricket is immense, and I’m looking forward to helping these players reach their full potential. 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,” the former New Zealand captain added.
After the Test series ends against Sri Lanka at The Oval next week, McCullum will take a short break at home in New Zealand before joining the Test team for their winter tours of Pakistan in October and the three-match Test series against New Zealand in December.
(IANS)
