England end Brendon McCullum’s Test coaching tenure

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The England and Wales Cricket Board has ended Brendon McCullum’s tenure as England men’s Test head coach while retaining him as head coach of the white-ball teams. A Times of India report said the change followed Ben Stokes’ retirement from international cricket and England’s recent Test series defeats.

McCullum remains in charge of England’s white-ball teams

Brendon McCullum will leave the Test role but continue to coach England’s men’s white-ball teams, according to the ECB statement cited in the report.

McCullum said, "Of course I’m gutted not to be continuing, but I respect the decision. My focus now is on giving everything I’ve got to the White Ball teams and helping England keep moving forward."

McCullum had coached England’s Test team since 2022 and took charge of the white-ball sides in 2025. The report did not identify a successor for the Test position.

Early series wins defined the start of the Test tenure

England began McCullum’s Test tenure with an attacking approach known as "Bazball" and recorded home series wins over New Zealand and South Africa before completing an away sweep of Pakistan.

England beat New Zealand 3-0 at home, defeated South Africa 2-1 at home and won 3-0 in Pakistan. England later finished fourth in the 2021-23 World Test Championship cycle and fifth in the 2023-25 cycle. The report placed England seventh in the 2025-27 standings at the time of publication.

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Recent defeats and discipline reports formed the backdrop

England’s 4-1 Ashes defeat in Australia, a 2-1 home Test series loss to New Zealand and reported off-field issues preceded the coaching change and Stokes’ retirement.

The report said limited-overs captain Harry Brook was involved in an altercation with a nightclub bouncer in Wellington in 2025. England’s Ashes squad also faced criticism over a trip to Noosa during the series in Australia.

Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson later missed the second Test against New Zealand after breaking a team curfew, according to the report. Stokes retired during the third and final Test of that series amid reports of a fallout with McCullum and England managing director Rob Key. The report did not provide an on-record confirmation of that reported fallout from Stokes, McCullum or Key.

McCullum said England’s Test squad contained significant talent and wished the team success. McCullum’s immediate role remains with England’s white-ball teams.