The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has appointed Brendon McCullum as the head coach for England’s white-ball teams. The former New Zealand opener, who has been the head coach of England’s Test team since May 2022, will now be in charge of both One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and T20 Internationals (T20Is) as well.
This decision is part of a broader restructuring of the England Men’s senior setup, with McCullum set to take the additional responsibilities from January 2025, aligning with Three Lions’s white-ball tour of India and the ICC Champions Trophy.
Under his leadership, England’s Test side has seen a revelation, playing an aggressive brand of cricket that has garnered praise worldwide. His contract has been extended until the end of 2027. The interim period will see Marcus Trescothick stepping in as the white-ball head coach for the upcoming series against Australia and the Caribbean tour later this year.
“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,” Rob Key, Managing Director of England Men’s Cricket, said in a statement.
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I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time with the Test team: Brendon McCullum
McCullum himself is excited about the new challenge, expressing his eagerness to work closely with white-ball captain Jos Buttler.
“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.
The former Kiwi mentioned that Rob Key’s vision is what resonated with him to take up the role. He is confident about guiding the players in both formats and also thanked for the support he has got from the ECB and the supporters.
“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,” he added.
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After the home Test series against Sri Lanka finishes next week, McCullum will be on a short break ahead of joining the Test team for their tours of Pakistan in October and the three-match Test series against New Zealand in December.