England’s star batter Joe Root has stepped forward to defend under-fire head coach Brendon McCullum, describing the New Zealander as “one of the best coaches I’ve ever had.”
Root’s comments come at a critical time for McCullum, who is facing intense scrutiny following a heavy Ashes defeat and rumors of an overly relaxed dressing-room culture.
Despite calls for change within the England setup, the team’s core players are standing firm. Root joins captain Ben Stokes and Harry Brook in publicly supporting McCullum. While managing director Rob Key appears set to keep his role, McCullum’s future has been the subject of much debate.
“I think Baz is one of the best coaches I’ve ever worked with,” Root said after England’s recent ODI victory against Sri Lanka in Colombo. “Obviously, we’re disappointed with the Australia tour, but I believe there are exciting things ahead for this group.”
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Root’s defense is backed by impressive statistics. Since McCullum took over in 2022, Root has reached the pinnacle of world batting rankings, scoring 16 centuries in 46 Tests and maintaining an average above 56. Root credited the coach for this surge, stating his personal game has “improved tenfold” under McCullum’s guidance.
The veteran batter also voiced his support for Harry Brook, who is currently captaining the ODI side. Despite Brook’s recent off-field controversy involving a late-night altercation, Root believes the young star will become an “incredible captain.”
The pair recently shared a vital 81-run partnership to help England secure their first away ODI win in 12 attempts. Root dismissed claims that the team is in a permanent slump, pointing out that difficult conditions and losing five consecutive tosses played a major role in recent results.
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While Root plans to take time to reflect on the Ashes loss before England’s home series against New Zealand in June, his message is clear: the players trust the process, and they trust Brendon McCullum.