I didn’t actually want the job, says England coach Brendon McCullum after 2-1 series win vs South Africa

England’s Test head coach Brendon McCullum has revealed he was not ready to take the job when it was first offered to him but is now enjoying his stint with the team. England’s Test performances have improved massively under his guidance and the team is yet to lose a Test series under him.

McCullum was serving as the head coach of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) when he was offered the England job last year. The former New Zealand captain decided to leave KKR and give his nod for the challenging position.

He has since instilled a new belief in the England Test side with a new captain in Ben Stokes and they have played some terrific cricket in the longest format. England defeated South Africa by nine wickets in the third and final Test between the two sides on Monday to clinch the three-match series 2-1 and extend their unbeaten run.

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“Well, I didn’t actually want the [England] job! But now I’ve got it, I’m loving it! Absolutely I am, and it’s certainly different to what I’ve ever done before,” McCullum said following the conclusion of the third Test between England and South Africa.

“I’m loving the opportunity to work with some of the best players in the world. I always looked at English cricket and thought there was an immense amount of talent. I didn’t quite realise how much talent there is and how good these guys are and the way they think about the game,” he added.

England have also adopted an aggressive brand of cricket in Tests under McCullum and have stated great success with it. Since McCullum took over as the head coach, England have recorded series wins against New Zealand and South Africa while also winning the one-off Test match against India at Edgbaston.

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Lauding Stokes as a natural leader, McCullum said he has enjoyed working alongside him and that he never thought the England Test skipper will turn out to be as good as he has been. 

“It’s been an absolute pleasure to work alongside them, and I’ve particularly enjoyed working alongside the skipper [Stokes]. He’s a rare human being and an incredible person,” said McCullum.

“He’s a great thinker of the game, his messaging has been excellent as well. I thought he’d be good, I didn’t realise he’d be this good. A natural leader. It’s a wonderful fit for him,” he further added.