Who is England coach Brendon McCullum?

Brendon McCullum is a former New Zealand captain. He led the Black Caps in the 2015 World Cup final against Australia and finished runners-up. Post his retirement, the dashing batter took up coaching. On Thursday, he has been appointed England head coach, on a four-year deal.

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McCullum is currently coaching Indian Premier League (IPL) side Kolkata Knight Riders. 

McCullum, who will step down from his role as KKR head coach at the end of the ongoing IPL, played 101 Tests for New Zealand between 2004 and 2016, scoring 6453 runs at 38.64 with the highest score of 302 against India in 2014, which remains the only triple-century made by a Black Caps cricketer.

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McCullum, however, does not have the experience of coaching a national team in Test cricket. England assignment would be his first such high profile job. He so far coached T20 sides. The 40-year-old led New Zealand in 31 Tests from 2013 until his retirement, earning plaudits for a positive approach which was also instrumental in the white-ball team’s run to the World Cup final in 2015. McCullum has been immensely credited for New Zealand’s emergence as a cricketing power of late.

Following his retirement, New Zealand continued to play the same brand of aggressive cricket that he had instilled in the team. 

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In 2020, he also coached Trinbago Knight Riders to the Caribbean Premier League title.

Born in Dunedin, Otago in 1981, McCullum started his career as a lower-order wicketkeeper batter for New Zealand. But at the later stage of his career, he promoted himself in the batting order and proved his mettle as a fantastic batter.

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Apart from 101 Tests, McCullum played 260 ODIs and scored 6083 runs at an average of 30.41. His highest score is 166. He also played 71 T20Is and scored 2140 runs at a fantastic average of 35.67.

McCullum is also the first cricketer to smash a hundred in IPL in the very first game of the league back in 2008. At the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, McCullum, who was then a KKR player, scored 158 off 73 balls with 10 boundaries and 13 sixes against Royal Challengers Bangalore.

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As England’s coach, the Kiwi replaced Chris Silverwood, who had stepped down after England lost the Ashes 4-0 earlier this year.

He will now work with Ben Stokes, England’s New Zealand born captain, with Rob Key, director of cricket, at the helm.