England sack Brendon McCullum as Test head coach

Brendon McCullum has been removed from his position as England men’s cricket team's Test head coach but will continue to be at the helm of the limited-overs sides. McCullum took over the role in 2022, following England’s 0-1 defeat in the West Indies.

He, along with captain Ben Stokes, brought a revolution in the England Test team through their aggressive batting style, termed ‘Bazball’ by the media. During his tenure, England won 27 out of 49 Tests and lost 20. While McCullum had a great beginning to his tenure, winning ten out of 11 matches, the team's performance graph went downwards after a 1-4 series loss against India in 2024.

McCullum called coaching England an honour and thanked the support staff and fans for their support.

“I've absolutely loved coaching the Test side, and I'm incredibly proud of what we've achieved together. There've been some unbelievable highs and a few tough days along the way, but that's all part of taking on a challenge like this. It’s been a privilege and an honour, and I’m grateful. Grateful to the players, the staff and the fans who supported us on the journey,” said McCullum in a media release.

He also said that his sole focus will now be on the limited-overs teams, where they've recently found immense success, beating India 4-0 in the T20I series.

“Of course I'm gutted not to be continuing, but I respect the decision. My focus now is on giving everything I've got to the White Ball teams and helping England keep moving forward,” he added.

England's memorable wins under McCullum

Under McCullum, England registered historic triumphs, becoming the first team to whitewash Pakistan 3-0 in their home and also winning a Test series in New Zealand after 16 years.

However, England's repeated failures to qualify for the World Test Championship (WTC) finals remained a major blot in McCullum's coaching tenure. Things only worsened after a 1-4 Ashes defeat in Australia, a tour marred by several off-field controversies. 

The recent series defeat against New Zealand, England's first home series loss since 2021, proved to be the final nail in the coffin for McCullum's Test tenure. The Three Lions have lost seven out of their last nine Test matches and are reeling at seventh spot in the ongoing WTC 2025-27 cycle with a points percentage of 24.36.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) will now begin its hunt for the next Test head coach, with the next Test series scheduled against Pakistan at home in August.