Brendon McCullum sacked as England Test head coach as Bazball era comes to an end

Brendon McCullum’s time as England Test head coach has come to an end after the England and Wales Cricket Board decided to make a change following a difficult run of results and a turbulent period around the men’s team.

The decision comes just two weeks after Ben Stokes announced his retirement from international cricket and stepped down as Test captain, bringing a dramatic conclusion to the leadership partnership that transformed England’s fortunes over the past few years.

McCullum will remain in charge of England’s white-ball sides, but his departure from the Test role marks the end of the Bazball era, which began when he took over in 2022 and helped revitalise a struggling team.

The New Zealander leaves with England having lost seven of their last nine Test matches, including a heavy 4-1 Ashes defeat in Australia.

Reflecting on his departure, McCullum paid tribute to his time working with the Test team and admitted his disappointment at no longer continuing in the role.

“I’ve absolutely loved coaching the Test side and I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved together,” said McCullum.

“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.

“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.”

England’s Test setup is now without both a head coach and captain, with the next series against Pakistan beginning on 19 August.

Harry Brook is widely expected to be considered as the next Test captain, although the appointment of a new coach could influence the direction England take moving forward.

A remarkable turnaround followed by a difficult decline

When McCullum arrived as Test coach in 2022, England were at one of the lowest points in their recent history, having won just one of their previous 17 matches.

His partnership with Stokes immediately changed the mood around the side, introducing an aggressive style of cricket that became known around the world as Bazball.

England produced a number of memorable victories during the early stages of the McCullum-Stokes era, including wins over New Zealand at Trent Bridge, India at Edgbaston and Pakistan in Rawalpindi.

The start was extraordinary, with England winning 10 of their first 11 Tests under the pair.

Since that opening period of success, England have won 17 and lost 19 of their next 38 Test matches.

A dramatic one-run defeat against New Zealand in Wellington, after England enforced the follow-on, proved an early warning sign, while a 4-1 series defeat in India in 2024 highlighted the challenges facing the team.

England did show resilience during the 2023 Ashes series, recovering from going 2-0 down to draw 2-2 against Australia, but their hopes of regaining the urn were ultimately ended by a rain-affected fourth Test at Old Trafford.

Ashes disappointment and growing pressure

The Ashes tour of Australia in 2025-26 was viewed as a major test for McCullum, Stokes and director of cricket Rob Key.

England had planned to attack Australia with a pace-heavy bowling attack and arrived with confidence, but the series quickly unravelled.

Despite being in a strong position during the opening Test in Perth, England collapsed dramatically and were defeated before the end of the second day. They struggled throughout the tour, with preparation and performances coming under heavy criticism.

England did claim a historic victory in the fourth Test in Melbourne, their first win in Australia for 14 years, but the overall campaign was overshadowed by disappointing displays and off-field issues.

Concerns were also raised following incidents involving members of the squad, including footage appearing to show Ben Duckett drinking in Noosa and an incident involving Brook at a nightclub in Wellington before England’s one-day international series against New Zealand.

After the Ashes, McCullum and Stokes were backed to remain in their positions, with the pair insisting rumours of a breakdown in their relationship were wide of the mark.

England later added to their backroom staff and introduced measures, including a midnight curfew, in an attempt to improve preparation and avoid further controversy.

England begin search for McCullum replacement

With McCullum remaining as white-ball coach, England must now find someone to take charge of the Test side and work alongside his continued influence within the wider setup.

Former England coach Andy Flower is expected to be among the names considered after guiding England to Ashes success in Australia in 2010-11, although it remains unclear whether he would leave his current franchise commitments.

Other potential candidates include Glamorgan head coach Richard Dawson, Surrey coach Gareth Batty and England Lions head coach Andrew Flintoff, who has previously stated he is not interested in taking the senior role.

Durham head coach Ryan Campbell and former Australia coach Darren Lehmann could also enter the conversation.

Whoever takes over will inherit a Test team in transition, with a new captain and coach required ahead of a crucial period for English cricket.

While McCullum’s Test tenure has ended, his work with England’s limited-overs teams will continue. The side recently secured a 4-0 T20 series victory over India, moving them to number one in the world rankings.

The next chapter of England’s Test cricket begins with a new leadership structure, as the team looks to build on the highs of the Bazball revolution while addressing the challenges that ultimately brought McCullum’s reign to an end.