Brendon McCullum is set to be sacked as England's Test cricket coach, according to reports from 7Sport's Tom Morris. The announcement could come as early as today, though there remains a chance he will continue leading the white-ball teams.
McCullum's Tenure and the Bazball Era
McCullum took over as England's red-ball coach in 2022 and later assumed all-format duties in 2025. His tenure was defined by the aggressive, cavalier style known as 'Bazball', which initially brought great success. Under his guidance, England secured home series wins against New Zealand (3-0) and South Africa (2-1), as well as an extraordinary away series victory over Pakistan (3-0). This early form drew global attention and earned the team its distinctive moniker.
Mediocre Test Championship Results
However, McCullum's later results were less impressive. England finished fourth in the 2021-23 World Test Championship cycle (though he took over halfway through), fifth in 2023-25, and currently sit seventh in the 2025-27 table. The team also faced off-field controversies, including an altercation involving limited-overs captain Harry Brook with a bouncer at a Wellington nightclub in 2025, a boozy trip to Noosa during the Ashes series, and curfew breaches by Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson before the second Test against New Zealand last month.
Fallout with Stokes and Key
Ben Stokes retired mid-way through the third Test against New Zealand after reports of a falling out with McCullum and England managing director Rob Key. In his final Test innings, chasing a target of 373, Stokes promoted himself to open and threw his wicket away, leading to a heavy defeat. McCullum remains under contract with the ECB until the end of the 2026 World Cup in South Africa, earning approximately £2 million ($3.86 million AUD) per year.
