Brendon McCullum Promises Focus on Entertainment as England’s White-Ball Era Begins
England take on T20 World Cup champions in a five-match series to start the new coach’s tenure.
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Brendon McCullum’s tenure as England’s head coach for white-ball cricket officially begins in Kolkata on Wednesday, with a commitment to carry over his Test team’s emphasis on aggression and entertainment. This promise comes ahead of the team’s series against India, as well as their preparation for the Champions Trophy. McCullum also expressed confidence that Jos Buttler’s “best years are yet to come.”
McCullum’s appointment has been highly anticipated. His dual role as head coach for both the red- and white-ball formats was announced in September, after which he guided England’s Test teams on tours to Pakistan and New Zealand. During this period, Marcus Trescothick took on the interim role for the white-ball squad.
McCullum now faces a pivotal start, with a five-match T20I series against the T20 World Cup champions, followed by three ODIs against the finalists of the 2023 50-over World Cup. England’s journey culminates in their Champions Trophy opener against Australia in Lahore on February 22.
Ahead of the first T20I at Eden Gardens, McCullum praised England’s powerful batting lineup but emphasized his priority of empowering players to perform at their best, rather than focusing solely on victories. “Obviously, we want to win every game we play, to try and be successful, and that’s ultimately the mission for us,” he said. “But our conversations and the language we use in the dressing room are quite different.”
He continued, “It’s about getting the best out of the talent within the team, working out complementary skills, and playing the style of cricket that gives us the best chance. I’m desperate for us to play a watchable brand of cricket. With the talent we have, there’s no reason why we can’t. We’ve got a batting line-up as powerful as any in the world, alongside gun spinners, brilliant fielders, and bowlers who can bowl absolute rockets.”
McCullum steps into a white-ball team in transition, following their losses of both the 50-over and 20-over World Cup titles within seven months in 2023-24. His squad selections for this series suggest he plans to integrate his Test and white-ball teams, with eight of the 15 players selected for the ODI squad having featured in the longer format in 2024.
Buttler, however, stands apart in this regard, as the England captain has not played Test cricket since the 2021-22 Ashes series. McCullum, however, holds a strong personal connection with Buttler, having forged a friendship with him during their IPL playing days. McCullum made it clear that his first task was to bring his “miserable” captain back to a place of joy after a long-standing calf injury.
“He’s smiling, which is good. He’s very happy at the moment,” McCullum confirmed, adding that his relationship with Buttler would allow them to hit the ground running. “With Jos, we start from a stronger base. We’ve been friends for a long time, and we’ve shared philosophies of the game, which gives us a great platform to build from.”
McCullum also confirmed that Buttler would be relinquishing the gloves, allowing him to lead from the field instead. Phil Salt is expected to continue as wicketkeeper, a role he took on for both of England’s Caribbean series in November 2024. “This is a positive for us,” McCullum explained. “It gives Jos the opportunity to have the last say with the bowler, building a relationship with him in that moment, rather than being 22 yards away.”
At 34 and a double World Cup-winner, Buttler has little left to prove in the white-ball game, but McCullum sees potential for the captain to thrive in the latter part of his career, just as Ben Stokes has enjoyed success leading the Test team. “I think his best years are definitely ahead,” McCullum said. “When you get the chance to lead later in your career, it can be frustrating if you feel you have a lot to prove. But if you let yourself go and focus on getting the best out of your team, it can lift your game. Jos is fully on board with this approach, and I’m sure you’ll see him enjoy himself over the next couple of years.”
McCullum is optimistic about Buttler’s leadership, but he knows the upcoming series against India will be challenging. “India are a very good cricket team, particularly in their own conditions. We’ll play what I hope will be a very watchable style of cricket. There will be times we don’t quite get it right, but we will keep working on that over the next few weeks to be in good shape for the Champions Trophy.”