NEWS
Follow UsAlong with being the head coach of the Test team, Brendon McCullum recently agreed to take charge of England's white-ball side as well. McCullum, along with skipper Ben Stokes, have changed the landscape of England cricket over the last few years with their aggressive brand of cricket. However, McCullum takes over the white-ball side at a low.
After winning the T20 World Cup in 2022, they crashed out at the group stage in the 2023 ODI World Cup and failed to get past T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final. ODI and T20I skipper Jos Buttler, too, has not been in the best of form, and an injury will keep him out of the T20I series against Australia, starting September 11.
McCullum has, however, thrown his weight behind Buttler, calling him the greatest white-ball cricketer England have ever produced. "What I want from Jos is to enjoy the next few years," the former New Zealand captain said ahead of England's third Test against Sri Lanka.
"If he was to retire today, he'd go down as probably the greatest white-ball player England's ever produced. The opportunity for the next three or four years — however long he plays for — is just to enjoy it. Not to protect anything.
"Just get the most out of all those guys around him, keep walking towards the danger, play with a smile on his face and try to do something which is really cool."
Will Stokes be a part of the white-ball cricket in the future? The all-rounder came out of retirement to play in the 2023 World Cup but has not featured in ODIs and T20Is since. McCullum, who is contracted with England until the end of the 2027 World Cup, believes Stokes will be "all in" if required.
"The skipper and I haven’t spoken, but I'm assuming he's all in. He seems like that sort of bloke. I guess we'll see where he sits. He loves big moments and big stages," McCullum said.
England have won all five Tests this summer so far, and will hope to make it six when they take on Sri Lanka at the Oval on September 6 (Friday).
If you’ve not downloaded the Cricket.com app yet, you’re missing out — big time. Play Fantasy on Cricket.com NOW! Download the App here.
