Brendon McCullum will start his tenure as England Test coach with the three-match series against New Zealand in June. The team will be led by Ben Stokes as a full-time captain.
Brendon McCullum (L) and Eoin Morgan (R) during an ODI series between New Zealand and England. (Courtesy: Reuters)
HIGHLIGHTS
- Ben Stokes has been appointed as England Test captain
- England will play three Tests against New Zealand in June
- England cricket board appointed Matthew Mott as ODI coach
England ODI captain Eoin Morgan has said that he is jealous of Ben Stokes-led Test team for having Brendon McCullum as their coach.
Morgan, who led England to the 2019 ODI World Cup glory, and McCullum have played against each other. The duo have featured together as teammates for the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Kolkata Knight Riders, as well as captain and coach for the KKR.
“It’s unbelievably exciting,” Morgan told Sportsmail. “In many ways I’m jealous of the Test players because, having played both with him and under him, I know what a great man-manager Baz is.
“The best head coaches have this ability to lighten things up and reiterate what direction you’re going in, what your purpose is. It’s a brilliant appointment and it says not only a huge amount about English Test cricket but Test cricket in general. We need to be competitive for it to flourish.”
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) handed the Test reigns to former New Zealand cricketer and KKR coach McCullum following the team’s Ashes humiliation in Australia earlier this year.
Moreover, Joe Root stepped down as Test skipper after England lost the RichardsBotham Trophy to West Indies 0-1 and subsequently, Stokes was appointed as the new full-time captain.
McCullum will start his tenure with the three-Test match series between England and New Zealand in June. The ECB’s selection panel of Chief Executive Officer Tom Harrison, Managing Director of England’s Men’s Cricket Rob Key, Strategic Adviser Andrew Strauss and Performance Director Mo Bobat unanimously agreed that McCullum was the outstanding candidate for the role, having impressed during the competitive interview process.
England have recalled veteran fast bowlers James Anderson and Stuart Broad for the upcoming series against New Zealand after the duo were snubbed during the away series against West Indies.