Bazball is not the answer to a flailing Ashes campaign

Brendon McCullum has transformed England's Test team from where he found them, but more is required than the 'courage' that his coaching instils

- Lawrence Ostlere

Broad asked McCullum why he chose to take on the challenge of reviving England’s failing Test team when ECB managing director Rob Key called in the spring of 2022, rather than becoming England’s white-ball coach, which seemed a more natural fit.

“I looked at where the white-ball side was at,” McCullum replied. “You're trying to take the team from good to great, and they’re not really my skills, as such. My skills are more about giving a team a bit of soul and trying to give them some purpose and give them some freedom and push them towards a bit of bravery and courage out on the field. I felt the Test team was more aligned to that.”

It was a window into how McCullum sees himself: motivator, rebuilder, giving direction to a group who look lost.

McCullum has given England all of those things in his three and a half years. He set the players a clear mission to entertain, to play for the thrill of it, like they did as kids in the back garden. Winning was important, but it counted for little if they didn’t send home the crowd with a story to tell.