Nasser Hussain raises concerns on Brendon McCullum’s suitability for dual coaching role after Matthew Mott’s exit

Former England captain Nasser Hussain has strongly criticized the notion of Brendon McCullum taking on the dual role of coaching both England’s Test and white-ball teams.

Hussain argued that one coach managing all formats has worked for some countries, such as India, where Rahul Dravid did it fantastically for four years, but it won’t be a desirable option for McCullum.

Nasser Hussain criticizes the idea of Brendon McCullum coaching England in all formats

The cricketing world is abuzz following Matthew Mott's abrupt resignation as coach of England's white-ball teams, effective July 30, 2024. With the position now open and Marcus Trescothick temporarily stepping in as England’s white-ball coach, Hussain sparked a debate about whether a single coach can handle the demands of all three formats effectively.

As the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is on the hunt for a new white-ball head coach, Hussain is against the idea of appointing McCullum, juggling the coaching responsibilities for both England’s Test and white-ball teams.

He mentioned that Dravid coached India in all three formats and delivered great results, but there is no assurance that McCullum would yield such an outcome. Hussain was not sure that McCullum would be inclined to take this job.

The former England captain highlighted the intense pressures on modern coaches and suggested that McCullum, like many others, might prefer a more focused role that allows for personal time and potentially even participation in other cricketing ventures like the Indian Premier League (IPL).

I don't think Brendon McCullum wants a white-ball job: Nasser Hussain

Nasser Hussain was quoted as saying by Sky Sports: “I don't think it's the right thing to do. It has worked for other nations... for India, Rahul Dravid did it very well, but I don't think McCullum or others would want it [both jobs]. Coaches are quite happy having some time to themselves and have the ability to do some work in the IPL maybe—though whether an England coach could do that at the same time, I don't know.”

Reacting to Mott's sudden resignation as England coach, Hussain stressed that his departure was regrettable, but was not entirely unexpected. He pointed out that Mott’s tenure initially began promisingly, building on the success of the previous coaching era under Eoin Morgan and Trevor Bayliss, guiding the team to victory in the ICC T20 World Cup title in 2022.

My first reaction is that it's a bit of a shame: Nasser Hussain on Matthew Mott's resignation

However, since then England's white-ball teams’ performance deteriorated significantly. The former England captain mentioned that the team’s dismal performance in the 2023 ODI World Cup and 2024 T20 World Cup ultimately led to Mott’s exit from the team. Notably, Mott had signed a four-year contract with the ECB as a white-ball coach, which ended untimely.

Hussain signed off by saying, “My first reaction is that it's a bit of a shame, but not unexpected. Ultimately, you're judged by results. Results started very well, on the back of continuing the Eoin Morgan/Trevor Bayliss era... they had that immediate success, winning the T20 World Cup in 2022. But since then, it's gone completely in the other direction. The 50-over World Cup [in 2023] was a poor, poor performance, really. They were so far off the mark, in terms of results and decision-making.”