Brendon McCullum (left) and Ben Stokes took charge of the England Test team in 2022
‘We’re the right people’ – Stokes wants him and McCullum to continue
McCullum is set to guide England in the T20 World Cup taking place in India and Sri Lanka next month, with a decision regarding his future anticipated after the tournament concludes. All-rounder Stokes mentioned he would “hope” to be involved in discussions around any possible shifts in the England leadership. “It’s a situation where nobody knows if it will happen or not, but we’re both very eager to keep doing what we’re doing,” remarked Stokes. England achieved 10 wins out of their first 11 Tests under Stokes and McCullum’s guidance, yet their performance has been inconsistent since that initial successful stretch. Over the last 34 Tests, England has secured 16 victories and faced 16 losses, including two draws. They have yet to claim a win in a major five-Test series against Australia or India. Additionally, at the start of 2025, McCullum also took charge of England’s limited-overs teams. Since that transition, England has managed to win only four of their 10 Tests, including a fairly expected victory over Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge in May. To address the reasons behind England’s shortcomings during the Ashes, Key highlighted the white-ball series in New Zealand before this tour as a hurdle in preparing for Australia. The former England and Kent batter expressed he was not inclined to “dismiss” the matches against the Black Caps. Nonetheless, Stokes believes McCullum’s dual responsibilities are not negatively impacting the Test side. “He has got two roles to manage now,” stated Stokes. “It hasn’t affected the bond we have with this Test team at all.”
Published: 2026-01-02 12:00:00
source: www.bbc.com
