Brendon McCullum was named the new head coach of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for white-ball cricket. The former international for New Zealand has been an excellent red-ball coach and will start coaching the white-ball team in January 2025. Prior to that, McCullum’s captain Jos Buttler, who is presently out due to a calf injury, said he is excited to work with McCullum in the dressing room and anticipates learning a lot about leadership.
The 34-year-old said that because they both have an aggressive personality, McCullum and he are really similar. He wants the next stage of his work to be the most fun one and is open to viewing things from new perspectives.
“Brendon McCullum and I have a little relationship, but I’m excited to spend more time with him
I’m eager to learn more about the cricket aspect of things. As a captain, he will be of great assistance to me,” Buttler told Sky Sports.
“Our perspectives on the game are similar, but spending time with him has opened my eyes to some aspects, or the other way around. I want this to be the most fulfilling aspect of my work, personally. I’ve been playing for a while, so perhaps there should be a change in focus. For me, it means helping guys reach their full potential and preparing for two significant events in the future.
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In the meantime, England struggled in the 2023 ODI World Cup and missed out on the final of the 2024 T20 World Cup under Buttler’s direction. Despite rumours to the contrary, the team management continued to believe in him, and he was kept as captain.
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His collaboration with McCullum will now be crucial as England goes through a change in leadership. Many new players have been called up for the current Australia series, meaning that veteran players like Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, and Jason Roy, among a few others, are no longer in contention.