Brendon McCullum appointed Head Coach of England men’s white-ball team

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has appointed former New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum as the head coach of England's men's white-ball team, adding to his current role as the Test side's coach.

This move signals a departure from the split-coaching model reintroduced by Rob Key, the Managing Director of England men's cricket, in 2022. McCullum's contract has been extended until the end of 2027, and he will begin his white-ball duties in January 2025, starting with England's tour of India, which will include the ICC Champions Trophy.

"I'm delighted that Brendon has chosen to do both roles now with England," Key said. "I believe we are incredibly fortunate that a coach of his quality is prepared to commit wholeheartedly to English cricket. Being able to align all teams now is particularly exciting and we look forward to taking on all challenges that come our way.

"For the last two years, constant clashes between formats have made it challenging for the white-ball environment; fortunately, these are easing starting from January.

"The timing of the schedule (from January) will allow him to dedicate the necessary focus to both roles, and we're confident this restructure will bring out the best in our players and coaching staff."

On the other hand, assistant coach Marcus Trescothick will step in as the interim white-ball coach for the upcoming home series against Australia later this month and the Caribbean tour in October-November.

Reflecting on his new role, McCullum said, “I've thoroughly enjoyed my time with the Test team, and I'm excited to extend my role to include the white-ball sides. This new challenge is something I'm ready to embrace, and I'm eager to work closely with Jos [Buttler] and the team to build on the strong foundations that are already in place.”

He continued, “Rob Key's vision for the future of English cricket is something that really resonated with me. The idea of a unified coaching structure, especially with the schedule easing next year, made perfect sense. I'm energised by the prospect of guiding both teams and am grateful for the support from the ECB and my family as I take on these added responsibilities."

McCullum also highlighted the depth of talent within the squad, saying, “The talent within English cricket is immense, and I'm looking forward to helping these players reach their full potential. My goal is to create an environment where everyone can thrive and where we can continue to compete at the highest level across all formats.”

The ECB's decision to unify the coaching structure comes after a turbulent period for England's white-ball teams under the guidance of Matthew Mott. Despite winning the T20 World Cup in 2022, England's performance in subsequent ICC tournaments was underwhelming, culminating in a disappointing seventh-place finish at the ODI World Cup in India. Mott, who was appointed in May 2022, was released from his role last month, halfway through his four-year contract.

In addition to his expanded coaching duties, the ECB announced that McCullum will take a short break in New Zealand after the ongoing Test series against Sri Lanka concludes. He is expected to return in time for England's tour of Pakistan in October and the subsequent tour of New Zealand in December.