England Test team head coach Brendon McCullum wants England players to do everything they can to protect Test cricket. However, they have always considered Test cricket great but have slipped off the place of late. However, he will oversee England’s first Test tour of Pakistan in 17 years. Under his guidance, England have registered two series wins and a historic win over India in the space of six months as well.
The upcoming series will mark McCullum’s maiden overseas tour and his first trip to Pakistan also, having not visited the country as a player as well. While Brendon McCullum said that players are eager to explore the various options and opportunities in franchise cricket, he also wants his team to be desperate to play Test cricket as well.
Speaking to The Vaughany and Tuffers podcast ahead of the Pakistan tour, McCullum said: “Cricket’s in a really fascinating space at the moment. The opportunities are great and ultimately people feel they need to look after their families and ensure their careers are successful long-term but I just want them desperate to play Test cricket.”
He continued: “It is the best form of cricket. The journey it takes you on, the novel that is Test cricket is so great that if we ever lost that then to me cricket becomes just another game. Embrace T20 cricket, embrace franchise cricket, but try and do what you can to ensure that the purest form of the game survives.”
“Skill is not a problem in English cricket” – Brendon McCullum
However, Brendon McCullum, despite being one of the hot shots when it comes to the T20 format, has left his mark in Test cricket also. He will be hoping to do more as a coach too as well. Notably, he was appointed after England lost consecutive series against Australia and the West Indies at the start of the year and Head coach Chris Silverwood, batting coach Graham Thorpe and managing director Ashley Giles were all sacked as well.
Meanwhile, the concept of split coaching was added as Matthew Mott took over the rein of the white-ball side and the responsibility of guiding the Test team was given to Brendon McCullum as well.
“One thing I have noticed since I’ve been in the England job is I thought England players were good but I didn’t realise they are as good as they are. There’s some serious skill operating around English cricket and I’m not sure we realised how good it is. Skill is not a problem in English cricket. It is now about the language we talk, and the environment we create to allow those players to become the best possible players they can be in the shortest period of time. That’s what our job is,” Brendon McCullum concluded.
The three-match Test series against Pakistan will begin on December 1 in Rawalpindi.
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