Buttler hails ‘sharp’ coach McCullum

JOS Buttler believes Brendon McCullum is “as sharp a coach as I’ve ever worked with” and that the use of the walkie-talkies to relay messages on to the field exemplifies that.

- BY DAVID CHARLESWORTH

Jos Buttler during an England net session at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, India yesterday

(PANKAJ NANGIA/GETTY IMAGES)

Empowering his players has been a hallmark of McCullum’s reign as England head coach, but that has led to accusations he was asleep at the wheel in the buildup to and during this winter's 4-1 Ashes loss.

Since then, the ex-New Zealand captain has seemed more proactive, with the use of handheld transceivers to send out instructions or advice to his players, with substitute fielders as intermediaries.

Buttler praised the initiative, insisting coaches in other sports have long since adopted such measures to attempt to influence results, while he has seen the practice employed at the Indian Premier League.

“Baz can sit with his feet up and sunglasses on and look very relaxed, but he’s as sharp a coach as I've ever worked with - he doesn’t miss a beat,’ the former England captain said.