English red ball skipper Ben Stokes showed his awe, acclaiming the decision of the ECB to appoint red-ball coach Brendon McCullum as their white ball coach as well.
The ECB made the crucial announcement, yesterday, as they announced Brendon McCullum as the new white-ball head coach for limited-overs cricket. McCullum will now have the role of a coach across formats for England, as their limited-overs coach, Matthew Mott, was sacked after the semi-final exit in the T20 World Cup.
Under McCullum, Stokes has led England to 19 Test wins out of their 28 matches, which include six series victories with a draw and an away loss that came against India. Under McCullum, England’s aggressive technique has evolved, and hence they have been named the “Bazball.”.
“I was very surprised by the news. First and foremost, I think it’s an unbelievable move for English cricket to go back to having a coach in charge of all the teams. You look at what Baz has achieved with the Test side; it’s been amazing,” Ben Stokes said to ESPNcricinfo.
He also said how excited he is to see the white-ball players also experience the labor of McCullum’s stunning presence.
What’s next for Ben Stokes?
Ben Stokes was earlier ruled out of the home series against Sri Lanka due to an injury to his hamstring, which he suffered in a match of The Hundred Mens Competition 2024. As a result, Ollie Pope took over him as the Test stand-in skipper.
England will have a hectic red ball schedule at the start of winter, as McCullum will initiate his new role from both contracts in the month of January 2025, which will be extended until 2027.
He will be expected to be back for the Pakistan tour, as England will begin their winter campaign with the away series against Pakistan. Meanwhile, Pakistan, who faced a recent disgusting series defeat to Bangladesh, is a humiliation to be remembered for eras to come.
