London, July 13: Former England captain Nasser Hussain has thrown his support behind Andy Flower to succeed Brendon McCullum as England’s Test head coach, saying the former Zimbabwe captain is the ideal candidate to revive the team’s fortunes in the longest format.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed on Sunday that McCullum will step down as Test coach after a four-year stint but will continue to oversee England’s white-ball teams in ODIs and T20Is.
Flower the best choice, says Hussain
Hussain believes England now need a coach with a meticulous approach and pointed to Flower’s successful spell as the man to lead the Test side forward.
“Andy Flower would be my first choice by a country mile,” Hussain told Sky Sports News, praising the former coach’s attention to detail and the standards he set during his tenure, when England rose to the No. 1 spot in the ICC Test rankings.
According to Hussain, those qualities have been missing from England’s Test setup in recent years, and he urged ECB Managing Director Rob Key to make every effort to bring Flower back.
Moreover, Hussain also criticised the ECB’s earlier decision to entrust McCullum with both the Test and white-ball coaching roles, saying the demands of the modern international calendar made the arrangement impractical.
He argued that McCullum is better suited to limited-overs cricket, pointing to England’s recent T20 success, including their status as the world’s top-ranked T20I side.
McCullum’s departure follows a disappointing run in Test cricket, with England losing the Ashes 4-1 in Australia and suffering seven defeats in their last nine Tests, including a home series loss to New Zealand.
Despite the recent downturn, Hussain acknowledged the significant impact McCullum had after taking charge alongside captain Ben Stokes in 2022.
Under the pair, England adopted an ultra-aggressive style of play that became known as “Bazball”, producing memorable series victories over New Zealand and Pakistan and drawing the 2023 Ashes 2-2 at home.
Time for a fresh directionWhile paying tribute to McCullum’s contribution, Hussain said the team’s recent results made a change inevitable.
He noted that England had become one of the most entertaining teams to watch under
McCullum but felt the prolonged run of defeats meant the time was right for a new voice to take charge of the Test side. (Agencies)
