England captain Harry Brook has backed head coach Brendon McCullum following their defeat in an epic T20 World Cup semi-final against India at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday (March 5).
Brook backs McCullum to continue as head coach
Despite a valiant effort in a run-chase of 254, England fell short by seven runs in Mumbai to lose their second straight men's T20 World Cup semi-final against India.
This marks the end of a gruelling few months for the England side, one that hasn't produced the kind of results they would have hoped for. The home Test series against India was drawn 2-2, which was followed by a 0-3 ODI drubbing in New Zealand and a 1-4 Ashes defeat in Australia. A successful Sri Lanka tour and an unbeaten run in the Super Eights of the T20 World Cup gave them hope, but they couldn't get over the line against the defending champions in the semi-final.
Following the defeat, Brook fronted up to the media for the post-match press conference, where he was asked whether he would suggest ECB to stick with McCullum as the head coach of the side. The England captain was firm in his defense of McCullum, who has had questions raised over his place ever since the tumultous Ashes tour.
Also read: Harry Brook: Captaincy sacking ‘played through my mind’ after New Zealand bouncer incident
"125 per cent," Brook said. "He's the best head coach I've ever had. The way that he speaks to everyone, the way he's got an aura in the dressing-room. The things he did as a player were unbelievable and he's just carried that into his coaching. The things he's done over four years have changed English cricket, hopefully for the best."
2nd Semi-Final, India vs England
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McCullum: There's still so much to achieve with this side
McCullum himself reiterated his desire to continue in the role, for which he is contracted until the end of 2027.
"Look, I love the job," McCullum said. "I think it's a great job. It doesn't come without its challenges, of course, but that's the nature of it. I feel like we've achieved some really cool things over the last few years, but there's still so much to achieve with the side across all formats.
Also read: When the fun stops, stop: Why England should hedge all-in bet on Brendon McCullum
"And I would love to carry on," he added. "We'll see what unfolds over the next little while. For now, after being on the road for a fair bit of time, it's a matter of getting home and hopefully watching some fast horses and playing some shocking golf, and it's taking a bit of time to reflect.
"As you always do, when you're a player, when you're a captain and as you are as a coach, you let things land, you try and then objectively look at what is working, what isn't working, and what things you need to ensure you try and rectify."
McCullum began in his role as the head coach of the England Test team in May 2022 and took over as the white-ball coach in September 2024. His first major white-ball assignment was the 2025 Champions Trophy, where England failed to qualify for the semi-final. With the T20 World Cup done, he and his team will set their sights on the 2027 ODI World Cup, scheduled in Africa in October-November.
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