London, Sep 4 (IANS): Ben Stokes has lauded the decision to appoint Brendon McCullum as the new head coach of England’s limited-overs teams, calling it "an unbelievable move" for the future of the sport in the country. McCullum, who has already revolutionised England’s Test cricket with his leadership style, will now take charge of all formats, starting in 2025 under a new three-year deal that will extend his tenure until 2027.
Since taking the reins of the Test side in May 2022, McCullum, alongside Stokes, has overseen a dramatic transformation, with England winning 19 of their 28 Tests, including six series victories out of nine. This remarkable turnaround has instilled a sense of freedom and confidence within the team, often referred to as "Bazball", a term synonymous with England’s new, aggressive approach to Test cricket.
Speaking at the Red Bull Gaming Sphere in London, the Test captain couldn’t hide his excitement about McCullum’s expanded role.
"I was very surprised by the news," Stokes joked to ESPNcricinfo. "First and foremost, I think it's an unbelievable move for English cricket to go back to having a coach in charge of all the teams. You look at what Baz has achieved with the Test side, it's been amazing."
However, while the Test team has thrived, England’s white-ball fortunes have waned. The golden generation that clinched the 2019 Cricket World Cup and the 2022 T20 World Cup has reached the end of its cycle, leading to a series of disappointing performances.
Matthew Mott, who was appointed to oversee the limited-overs teams alongside McCullum, stepped down in July following underwhelming campaigns in the 2023 50-over World Cup and the T20 edition earlier this year. Now, with McCullum set to steer the ship across all formats, Stokes believes the future looks brighter than ever.
Stokes was particularly optimistic about the impact McCullum would have on the new generation of white-ball cricketers who are set to emerge in the coming months. He believes McCullum’s philosophy and leadership style will be invaluable, especially for those stepping into international cricket for the first time.
"I'm really excited for the white-ball team to have the opportunity to be able to work with Baz, listen to him speak, and hear his opinions," Stokes said. "I think Jos is going to really, really enjoy having him as his coach to work with. And you look at all the new faces who are coming into that white-ball team now, I couldn't think of a better person for them to come in and work under at the international level for the first time.
He just gives everyone the platform to go out and enjoy themselves. Baz never puts any added pressure on anybody's shoulders."
This move may also influence Stokes' own future in limited-overs cricket. After opting out of the T20 World Cup, he is reportedly considering a return for the 2025 Champions Trophy. McCullum’s appointment could be a factor in that decision, with the two having developed a strong working relationship in the Test arena.
As England’s Test team prepares for a busy winter, starting with a series against Pakistan in October, Stokes faces his own challenges. The captain is currently recovering from a torn left hamstring, an injury sustained while playing for Northern Superchargers in The Hundred. Although eager to return, Stokes admitted that his participation in the first Test against Pakistan is still uncertain.
"The recurrence rate of these injuries is 50%, which is quite high," Stokes explained. "I'd rather take an extra two weeks than run the risk of potentially doing something worse and then putting myself out of the game for longer. I'm just making sure that I'm doing everything right and everything I possibly can to try and give myself a chance to be fit for that first Test.