Can England Team Make Wonders Under Brendon McCullum’s Coaching Tenure?
Brendon McCullum is not a new name when it comes to assuming captaincy of a drowning ship. He is well known to have taken over the captaincy role of the cricket team of New Zealand at a time when the team was performing not too well. His primary emphasis as the captain was not only to win games but also to help his teammates realize their responsibilities and shape them into better sportsmen and better people.
McCullum’s philosophy had worked wonders for the New Zealand cricket team, as they transformed into a strong cricketing force, mainly at home. They took on the persona of captain McCullum, to play intensely, but fair. Things could not be any more obvious than during the Cricket World Cup in 2015 when New Zealand won the hearts of cricket fans with their show of tremendous sportsmanship and the brand value of their cricketing standards.
“Brendon McCullum is a very interesting choice as England’s Test match coach. I think his brand of cricket is one that will be along the same lines as what Rob Key and Ben Stokes want. It’s also what the paying public want to watch. Something needed to change, and this is positive change. England will now have lots of discipline, but also be encouraged to play naturally. Don’t be scared, don’t be timid, go out and do your thing,” former English cricketer Kevin Pieterson applauds McCullum in his column on Betway.
This time, Brendon McCullum has taken on the responsibility to play a direct role in revitalizing the England team’s form. He is going to have his roles and responsibilities cut out; from putting a halt to the England cricket team’s losing streak to building a fresh new core for the team.
At present, the England team is featuring at the bottom of the World Test Championship chart for the period of 2021 to 2023. With slim expectations of reaching the finals, this poses an excellent opening for McCullum and his team, to rise up and above from the ashes. While Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum would surely want the New Zealand team to play in freedom, they would of course look for the team to show some solidity too, particularly from the batting perspective.
Ben Stokes hinted that he would be going out in the field for batting at the 6th position, while Root would show up at the 4th position. This means that there is likely to be some shaking-up in the order of the batting lineup during the Test series between England and New Zealand.
Zak Crawley, the opening batsman, could be pushed to the 3rd position, and selectors would have to rack their brains about getting hold of a suitable partner for Alex Lees who remains at the top order. With the exclusion of Anderson, Woakes, and Broad, none among the other England bowlers look likely to find a position in the side when it comes to the bowling lineup. This only means that a comparatively new squad will be seen on the field from June 2nd, at Lord’s cricket stadium.
This offers the perfect opportunity for Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes to create a brand new team from scratch and also imbibe their brand of cricket. However, England cricket fans only hope that there is no fallout between them. But if McCullum and Stokes are unable to rescue this cricket team out of their hole, it would signify a dead-end for England’s Test side. So, McCullum indeed has a lot on his plate with his new job.