Brendon McCullum is open to the idea of appointing three separate England captains one for each format as he looks to revive the white-ball teams and prevent their struggles from affecting the Test side. The head coach is even considering potential leaders from outside the current squad after a disappointing Champions Trophy campaign ended with a heavy defeat to South Africa, marking England’s seventh consecutive ODI loss.
With Jos Buttler’s tenure as white-ball captain coming to an end, McCullum faces the challenge of identifying a suitable successor. Vice-captain Harry Brook is an option but, as a three-format player, promoting him could be an excessive burden. Other potential candidates might not even be part of the current squad, with domestic leaders like Sam Billings, Sam Curran, and James Vince reportedly under consideration.
“If it is the same person [for ODIs and T20s], great, if it’s two, that’s great too,” said McCullum, emphasizing his flexibility on the issue. “Give me a couple of weeks to work it out and get this thing back on track.”
The concept of three captains was last seen between 2011 and 2012, when Andrew Strauss (Tests), Alastair Cook (ODIs), and Stuart Broad (T20s) each led a format. While such an arrangement could appear disjointed, McCullum has generally preferred players who can contribute across formats. However, with England’s schedule easing slightly, he may see an opportunity to separate leadership roles if needed.
McCullum defended the decision to merge the 50-over squad with the Test team for the Champions Trophy, pointing out that Ben Duckett (227 runs) and Joe Root (225) were England’s two highest scorers. The strategy of prioritizing raw pace in the bowling attack also remained unchanged, despite its ineffectiveness in key matches.
“We may not have got it totally right this time, but you’ve got to have conviction in something,” McCullum admitted. “We’ve got to put our hands up and acknowledge it wasn’t good enough.”
He acknowledged the challenge ahead, recognizing that the Test side has developed further under his leadership while the white-ball setup now requires a different approach. However, he remained confident in England’s overall talent pool, including those playing in the domestic circuit or those who have previously represented the national team.
“We’ve got to find ways to make sure that our team walks out there a lot more confident than we are at the moment,” he said.
Despite stepping down as captain, Buttler is not retiring from international cricket and will still play a significant role in the team. “We still see him as a big player within that, and he’s still got a huge role to play,” McCullum confirmed. “But it will be an exciting time for the new captain to put their stamp on it.”
