Cricket news: Time for change? Evaluating Brendon McCullum as England head coach
England’s rapid Ashes defeat in Australia has reignited debate over Brendon McCullum’s leadership and whether Bazball is delivering enough results at the highest level.
The ‘Bazball’ approach has undoubtedly transformed English cricket, bringing an exciting and aggressive brand of play. The question now is whether it has delivered the results many expected.
Sports News Blitz writer Jacob Howson offers his thoughts.
Former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum was appointed England men’s Test head coach in May 2022 by managing director Rob Key, after the ECB dismantled the previous setup following a 4-0 defeat in the 2021/22 Ashes series.
With Ben Stokes installed as captain, England were revitalised, winning their first three Test series under the new regime and losing just one match out of nine.
Middle-order batter Harry Brook quickly announced himself on the tour of Pakistan, epitomising the new philosophy by scoring 468 runs from five innings at an average of 93.
‘Bazball’ under pressure
Heading into the 2023 home Ashes series, Stokes and McCullum had a point to prove as Australia arrived intent on spoiling the Bazball narrative.
England produced several memorable moments, including Mark Wood’s impact at Headingley and Stokes’ defiant 155 at Lord’s, which dragged his side close to an unlikely chase.
However, the series stalled at Old Trafford when rain forced a draw, returning the urn to Australia.
Led by Stuart Broad’s farewell performances with the ball, England rallied to draw the series 2-2 at The Oval, denying Australia an away Ashes victory.
Despite the positive ending, there was a lingering sense that England had missed a golden opportunity, with costly mistakes in the opening two Tests leaving too much ground to recover during the remainder of the summer.
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Mixed results and long-term projects
In early 2024, England toured India, using the series to develop younger players such as Tom Hartley and Shoaib Bashir as part of a long-term plan to establish a frontline spinner for future Ashes campaigns.
There were encouraging moments, including Hartley’s 7-62 on debut, but England were eventually beaten 4-1, a result that is not uncommon for touring sides in India.
During the home summer against the West Indies, England’s all-time leading wicket-taker Jimmy Anderson announced his retirement from Test cricket.
The decision followed a call from Stokes, McCullum and Key to transition towards a younger seam attack, rather than allowing Anderson to choose his own exit.
Signs of progress, familiar frustrations
England entered the 2025 summer with a five-match home series against India, seen as a crucial build-up to the Ashes.
After three Tests, England held a 2-1 lead heading into Manchester, where they posted 669 in their only innings before India batted out the final day for a draw.
At The Oval, centuries from Brook and Joe Root left England 73 runs from victory with six wickets in hand.
A late batting collapse, however, handed India a six-run win and forced a series draw.
While England remain unbeaten at home in Test series under McCullum, they have still failed to defeat the world’s two strongest sides, India and Australia, either home or away.
The recent Ashes felt like England’s best chance to reclaim the urn in Australia since 2010/11, with an ageing Australian side missing key bowlers including Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon for large parts of the series.
Despite the opportunity, England often played themselves into defeat through poor decision-making with the bat and inconsistent bowling.
There was some consolation in victory in the fourth Test in Melbourne, England’s first win in Australia since their 2010/11 triumph, offering supporters at least one bright moment during a difficult winter.
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