England’s white-ball teams could have Brendon McCullum on the helm once they regroup for a tour of India in the brand new yr as Marcus Trescothick’s caretaker stint got here to an end within the Caribbean.
Here, we assess what is perhaps on the agenda immediately for McCullum when he becomes limited-overs head coach from January along with the identical existing role he has with the Test side.
Hit the bottom running
McCullum had easy success when appointed to the Test job in May 2022 after passing on the white-ball position that went to Matthew Mott, who was sacked in July following twin World Cup disappointments.
Taking charge of a side that had been victorious only once of their 17 previous attempts, the Bazball era began with 10 wins in 11 Tests. McCullum could do with flying out the traps once more.
It’s a baptism of fireside as England’s last ODI series win in India was in January 1985. They then head to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy in February and March.
Strike a balance
When the coaching roles were split two-and-a-half years ago, the successful ODI and T20 sides led by Mott all too often played second fiddle to McCullum rebuilding a languishing Test team.
Without many all-format stars to call upon outside of worldwide events, England’s form dipped and McCullum inherits a 50-over side which have lost 13 of their past 20 ODIs and sit seventh on the earth rankings.
But with a cramped schedule easing barely next yr and McCullum assuming responsibility for all English cricket, there’s an expectation there will likely be more of a crossover of talent.
A five-Test series at home to India next summer plus the Ashes in Australia that follows within the winter are top of the priority list however the Champions Trophy shouldn’t be far behind that.
Bring back Ben Stokes and Joe Root
While the likes of Harry Brook, Jamie Smith and Gus Atkinson could find themselves in colored clothing more often, England could do with the regular influences of Stokes and Root within the ODI team.
Neither has featured outside of Tests within the last 12 months although Stokes, England’s hero within the 2019 World Cup final and the 2022 T20 equivalent, is open to resuming his white-ball profession under McCullum.
Root was curiously rested against Australia on the back end of the summer and his status for with the ability to accumulate at a great rate was badly missed during a few batting collapses.
Having recently grow to be England’s all-time leading Test run-scorer, Root would surely like to do the identical in ODIs and he is simply 435 behind Eoin Morgan, who sits at the highest of the list.
Empower Jos Buttler
Buttler’s hangdog expressions as England relinquished each white-ball World Cups led to him being described as “miserable at times” by McCullum, who has made it his mission to cheer up the 34-year-old.
England’s white-ball captain had a sunnier disposition in the course of the 3-1 T20 series triumph against the West Indies, where he stepped away from wicketkeeping to field closer to his bowlers and dropped to batting at number three on his return after 4 months on the sidelines with a calf injury.
Might one other experiment be worthwhile in ODIs? Buttler has batted at 5 or 6 for many of his profession but a shuffle up the order is perhaps just the challenge he relishes.
Cosy as much as Jofra Archer
It can be interesting to see how McCullum gels with numerous players but surely top of the list is Jofra Archer, who has come through a white-ball programme against Australia and the Windies unscathed.
After an injury-plagued past few years, a Test return in 2025 is on the cards for the fast bowling x-factor, who might just profit from the relaxed and positive approach McCullum espouses.
READ MORE: Jos Buttler wants Joe Root and Ben Stokes back in England’s white-ball plans
