The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has removed New Zealander Brendon McCullum from his role as England’s Test coach, although he will remain in charge of the white-ball teams.
McCullum was appointed Test coach in May 2022. During his tenure, England played 49 Test matches, winning 27, losing 20, and drawing two.
Under McCullum’s leadership, England adopted an aggressive approach to Test cricket that became widely known as “Bazball.”
The ECB will announce a new Test captain and head coach ahead of the upcoming Test series against Pakistan. Current captain Ben Stokes recently announced his retirement from international cricket during England’s series against New Zealand.
England have lost seven of their last nine Test matches under McCullum’s coaching, including a 4–1 Ashes series defeat in Australia in 2025–26 and a 2–1 home series loss to New Zealand last month.
It is worth mentioning here that England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has also introduced a new set of alcohol-related disciplinary protocols for its players following recent off-field controversies, according to British media reports.
The new guidelines were reportedly issued after the incident involving England Test captain Ben Stokes, with players being formally briefed on the updated code of conduct.
Under the revised policy, players will be prohibited from consuming alcohol on the day after a match. The existing midnight curfew will also remain in place, and any player wishing to stay outside the team hotel after 10:00 pm must inform team management or security staff.
British media reported that players will not be allowed to appear intoxicated in public, while alcohol consumption will also be banned in public areas of the team hotel.
The new rules further prohibit players from posting alcohol-related content on social media. ECB Managing Director Rob Key has reportedly signed off on the updated disciplinary protocols.
The move comes after recent criticism surrounding Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson, while Harry Brook was also involved in an alcohol-related altercation in November last year, prompting the board to tighten its code of conduct.
Read more: ECB introduces strict alcohol rules for England players
