‘Bazball’ failed spectacularly in the Ashes. But one key architect appears safe
His style of play produced some great moments but England failed to win any of their first four-five match series against India or Australia.
Key’s role, unlike McCullum’s, extends beyond the men’s national team, but it is clearly the flagship element of the team and the ECB see this as a role that any holder of that role would ideally fulfill for more than four years.
England manager Brendon McCullum is left with tough questions.Credit: Getty Images
Key appointed McCullum as Test coach in 2022 and added white-ball responsibilities in 2024 after another Key appointment, Matthew Mott, was sacked following successive disappointing World Cup campaigns.
But even so, McCullum’s position seems less certain than that of Key or Stokes. The ECB has made it clear that some aspects of the team’s off-field behavior need to change, as well as their approach to training and preparation.
McCullum is a coach with a particular approach designed to take some of the huge pressure players feel, and he has hinted that he is not the man for the job if changes are forced upon him. The once unbreakable bond between McCullum and Stokes appeared to have frayed a bit under the pressure of the Ashes in Australia.
McCullum said after the defeat in Sydney: “I have firm beliefs about what works” and added: “Is it right for me to be told what to do? Of course not.”
Speaking about the notion of the idea being imposed on him, McCullum said: “Even if you can’t ultimately steer the ship, maybe there’s someone better.”
There are already some signs that cultural and coaching changes are being implemented. Less than two weeks after the Ashes ended, McCullum is in Sri Lanka for the white-ball tour. The first of three one-day internationals will be held on Thursday and will be followed by three T20 matches ahead of the World Cup in India and Sri Lanka starting on February 7.
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England imposed a midnight curfew for Brook’s tour of Sri Lanka following his row in New Zealand last year.
Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed were able to join the tour after their visas for the India leg of the trip were issued late. England are also joined by fielding coach Carl Hopkinson and it represents a notable departure from the Ashes, where the backroom squad was weak.
Bowling mentor David Saker is again in the group, but McCullum’s friend New Zealand mentor Gilbert Enoka, famous for his “no dickheads” policy at the All Blacks, is not.
Brook will appear before the media for the first time since the incident in New Zealand was announced on Wednesday.
