MCCALLUM 'GUTTED' AS HE'S SACKED AS ENGLAND ENGLAND TEST CRICKET COACH

 

Brendon McCullum has been sacked as head of red ball cricket for England.
Credit: PA

Brendon McCullum has left his role as England’s Test head coach but will remain in charge of the white-ball set-up.

McCullum has paid the price for a poor run of red-ball form with a 4-1 defeat in last winter’s Ashes followed by a 2-1 home loss to New Zealand last month, which occurred against the backdrop of another off-the-field incident under the watch of the Kiwi coach.

Ben Stokes announced his international retirement midway through defeat at Trent Bridge, and that will prove the final Test of McCullum’s England red-ball tenure.

It started in extraordinary fashion in 2022 with ‘Bazball’ taking the cricket world by storm. England’s bold and fresh attack-minded approach under McCullum and Stokes led to 3-0 series wins over New Zealand and in Pakistan, where 500 runs were scored in one day, before a thrilling 2-2 home Ashes in 2023, but the trajectory soon changed.

A 4-1 thumping in India two years ago exposed England’s stubborn and at times naive mantra and along with multiple disciplinary issues, McCullum has lost his Test role months after the overseas Ashes were lost in 11 days during an abject tour of Australia.

It leaves England in need of a new head coach and captain for red-ball cricket.

Richard Gould, the England and Wales Cricket Board’s chief executive officer, said: “Brendon breathed new life into England men’s Test team during an exciting period which saw some amazing victories and we’re grateful for all he has given to the role.

“We now believe that the time is right to make a change for the Test team as we target victory in the Ashes next summer.”

Rob Key had faced scrutiny after a 4-1 loss to Australia but while Stokes and now McCullum have left their roles, he believes the red-ball set-up are “poised to achieve great things” on the foundations set by two figures which have left a mark on Test cricket.

“Some of England’s most memorable moments in recent history have occurred under Brendon’s leadership of the Test team,” Key said.

“It’s been an absolute privilege to watch him shape the mentality of the team, to one the players have loved and see him develop a new generation of talent who will be at the heart of England men’s teams for years to come.

“He leaves the Test team well-set and poised to achieve great things.”

This news occurred the day after England’s T20 team thrashed India by a 56-run margin at Ageas Bowl to seal a 4-0 Vitality Series win under McCullum.

McCullum, who took on the white-ball role in 2024 and will remain in charge of the one-day set-up, won 25 of his 44 Tests and said that while he was “gutted” to leave the Test role, he “respects” the decision to make a change.

“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,” he said.

“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.

“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.

“I wish the Test team nothing but success. There’s a hell of a lot of talent in that dressing room and they’re a special bunch of lads.

“I’ll always be backing the boys, with a smile on my face, and hoping they keep taking the game on. I know they’ll continue to make people proud.”

Former Australia captains Justin Langer and Ricky Ponting have both been touted for as possible England coaches in the past, while a second stint at the helm for Zimbabwean Andy Flower would also be a popular option.

Flower previously served between 2009 and 2014, and oversaw three successful Ashes campaigns – including their last away success in 2010-11. Domestically, Surrey’s three-time County Championship winner Gareth Barry and Gloucestershire’s highly rated Richard Dawson are well thought of.

Andrew Flintoff has also been spoken of as a future England coach by Key, who is a close friend, and he is effectively an internal candidate due to his role in charge of the England Lions setup. Whether he has the experience to oversee a rebuild of the Test regime is less clear.

- itvX

ENGLAND SKIPPER BEN STOKES ANNOUNCES SHOCK RETIREMENT FROM INTERNATIONAL CRICKET

England captain Ben Stokes has announced his bombshell retirement from international cricket with the curtain set to fall after the end of the ongoing Test series against New Zealand.

England captain Ben Stokes has announced his bombshell retirement from international cricket with the curtain set to fall after the end of the ongoing Test series against New Zealand.

Stokes issued a statement shortly before tea on day four of the decisive third Test against New Zealand, having informed his team-mates in the dressing room at Trent Bridge before the start of play.

As the news broke, Stokes was in the middle of a mammoth bowling spell, with news filtering out into a stunned crowd as he stood at the top of his mark to start an 11th over.

The 35-year-old received a spontaneous standing ovation from all four corners of the crowd and then produced a quite remarkable piece of theatre – having Zak Foulkes caught at slip with his next ball.

GOODBYE: Ben Stokes will end his Test career after the ongoing match against New Zealand
PICTURES: Joe Giddens/PA

Cricket folklore

The fans roared in delight as the rest of the team mobbed him in a moment that will live long in English cricket folklore.

The shocking development comes in the immediate aftermath of the disciplinary incident that unfolded earlier this month, involving Stokes and Gus Atkinson in a London nightclub.

He was stood down from the second Test at the Kia Oval while the England and Wales Cricket Board conducted an investigation into the episode.

He was later handed a written conduct warning but escaped any further censure and immediately returned to lead the side in Nottingham.

Speaking for the first time since the saga began on Wednesday, he appeared to cast doubt over his long-term future, repeatedly focusing on the importance of the five days ahead.

Invited to clarify that he was not back in the side for one match only, he refused to do so.

JOY: England’s Ben Stokes (right) celebrates the wicket of New Zealand’s Zak Foulkes minutes after announcing he is to retire from international cricket

One more trip

Informing his team that his long and storied England career was coming to an end in the next 48 hours, Stokes said in a clip shared by the ECB: “There’s something that I know is going to happen over the next two days, which is my last two days as your captain and my last two days representing England.

“Reasons can wait but I’ve had many trips to the well before for this team, for you blokes, for people beforehand and I’ve got one more trip to do.

“And the only thing that I ask, please, is can everyone please just do the same?

“We’ve done a lot of hard work still to do, and the only thing that I want is to be able to walk off the end of that field regardless of the result, knowing that I’ve had this group of men and one lady (fielding coach Sarah Taylor) give everything for the last two days.

“The only thing I want is just for everyone to give it not only for me, selfishly, but also for this team and everything else we’ve got going forward for you blokes.

“Let’s just go out there and f***ing give absolutely everything for another two days because that’s my only intention and that’s where all my energy is right now.

“(I’ve) got the emotional side out of it but now it’s time to go to work and everyone else, please just come with me.”

- The Cricket Paper Team

ENGLAND LOSE 12 WTC POINTS FOR SLOW OVER RATE AT OVAL

This is the second time England have lost points for a slow over rate in this World Test Championship cycle

Joe Root accepted the charge of maintaining a slow over rate at The Oval  •  Philip Brown/Getty Images

England have been docked 12 points in the World Test Championship and fined 50% of their match fee for a slow over-rate offence against New Zealand in the second Test at The Oval. Since a win is worth 12 WTC points, the penalty has cost England the points they earned for beating New Zealand in the first Test at Lord's.

England were found to be 12 overs short of the target at The Oval after factoring in time allowances. According to the World Test Championship playing conditions, a team is penalised one point for each over short. The ICC's Code of Conduct says players will be fined 5% of their match fee for each over short but the maximum is capped at 50%, which is the penalty England have been hit with.

The charges were brought by on-field umpires Adrian Holdstock and Nitin Menon, third umpire Rod Tucker and fourth umpire Graham Lloyd. England captain Joe Root, who was standing in for Ben Stokes in the aftermath of the Rex Rooms incident, pled guilty and so no hearing was needed with match referee Andy Pycroft.

England lost the second Test by 253 runs, with the series level at 1-1 ahead of the decider at Trent Bridge from June 25. England are currently seventh out of nine teams in the WTC standings with 38 points from 12 Tests, which translates to 26.39 percentage points.

This is the second time England have been docked points for a slow over rate in the current WTC cycle. They lost two points for the same offence during their 22-run victory against India at Lord's in 2025. In the previous WTC cycle from 2023 to 2025, England had lost 22 points due to slow over-rate offences and finished fifth.

- ESPNcricinfo

BUMRAH'S REVERSE SWING MASTERCLASS PUTS INDIA IN CHARGE

Reuters 

 Jasprit Bumrah claimed six for 45 in a reverse swing masterclass to fetch India a handy lead on day two of the second test against England in Visakhapatnam on Saturday.

Replying to India's 396 in the first innings, England were cruising at 114-1 batting with the kind of unbridled aggression, which has become the hallmark of the side under Ben Stokes.

Bumrah, armed with the reversing ball, then turned the match on its head and England were all out for 253 conceding a first-innings lead of 143.

India were 28 for no loss at stumps for an overall lead of 171.

Yashasvi Jaiswal, who smashed 209 in the first innings, was batting on 15 with skipper Rohit Sharma on 13 at the other end.

INDIA'S JAISWAL LEADS ROBUST REPLY AFTER ENGLAND POST 246

 

Reuters 

Hosts India bowled out England for a modest 246 and then cruised to 119 for one in reply on day one of the opening test at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Thursday.

Ben Stokes produced a captain's knock of 70 to help England post at least a competitive total before they wilted early into the final session.

Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal led India's strong reply with a rapid unbeaten 76, which included three sixes, while Shubman Gill was on 14 at the close.

India lost Rohit Sharma for 24 but would still fancy a handy lead, especially after England burnt all three reviews in their desperation for breakthroughs.

For the first time in a men's test, England went into the match with a lone fast bowler in Mark Wood, opting for a spin-heavy attack instead, which included debutant Tom Hartley.

India resisted any such temptation and retained seamers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, perhaps knowing a three-pronged spin attack could get the job done.