BIRMINGHAM, England – In a high-profile shakeup to England’s senior men’s cricket setup, former Test team head coach Brendon McCullum has publicly apologized to English cricket supporters after being removed from his red-ball coaching role, while confirming he will retain his position leading the national side’s limited-overs formats.
The New Zealand-born coach, who revolutionized England’s Test playing style with the high-risk, aggressive approach nicknamed “Bazball” alongside captain Ben Stokes, was relieved of his Test duties on Sunday, just under three years after taking the post in 2022. McCullum pushed back on an earlier statement from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) that implied he stepped down voluntarily, confirming publicly on Monday at Edgbaston that he was dismissed from the role.
“Yeah, I got a tap on the shoulder,” McCullum told reporters, speaking 24 hours before England was set to kick off a one-day international series against India at the same ground. “I was disappointed but at the same time I fully respect the decision. We’re in a results business and fundamentally our results weren’t good enough. It’s time for someone else to have a go.”
McCullum’s tenure as Test coach got off to a historic, explosive start: his aggressive batting philosophy re-energized global interest in the five-day format, and England notched 10 wins in his first 11 matches at the helm, bringing immediate acclaim to both McCullum and Stokes. For two years, Bazball was hailed as a game-changing shift that injected new life into stagnant Test cricket.
However, as key veteran players retired from the international side, results declined sharply over the final stretch of McCullum’s tenure. England dropped seven of its last nine Test matches, including a 2-1 series defeat to New Zealand last month – the result that directly led to Ben Stokes’ surprise retirement from Test cricket. Beyond the late losing streak, McCullum’s side never managed to secure a win in major flagship series against the world’s top two ranked sides, Australia and India: England drew both home series 2-2, and lost on the road against both nations.
As the figurehead leading the team’s strategy and culture, McCullum said he takes full responsibility for the underwhelming results, and issued a direct apology to fans. “We just weren’t quite able to win those big series, against India and Australia. For that I guess I can only say sorry,” he said. “I was the leader of that group. I was in charge of the team culturally, in charge of the team tactically, in charge of the team results-wise as well. I’ve been around this game for 20-odd years and I know if you aren’t getting the results someone else needs an opportunity. I put my hand up for that and accept it wasn’t good enough.”
McCullum noted there was a poetic symmetry to the timing of his exit, coming less than two weeks after Stokes’ emotional farewell from Test cricket at Trent Bridge. He shared that he had received warm messages from his former captain, framing their joint departure as a fitting end to their partnership that redefined English Test cricket. “I got some nice messages from Stokesy,” he said. “I guess, in a romantic kind of way there’s something about Stokesy and me going out together. We started it together and we go out together, and I have no problem with that.”