Ben Stokes’ Stuart Broad admission gives insight into McCullum’s England vision

England Test coach Brendon McCullum was set to promote Stuart Broad up the order to “have a slog” and win the game for England if either Joe Root or Ben Foakes got out

When Brendon McCullum was appointed England Test coach, Managing Director of Men’s Cricket Rob Key told supporters to “buckle up and get ready for the ride”.

That certainly proved to be the case in his first game in charge as England won a thrillingly chaotic Test against New Zealand at Lord’s. Much has been made of the ‘aggressive’ way McCullum is expected to get England playing Test cricket, given the way he both played and captained during his career.

And England skipper Ben Stokes has now provided some insight into the way McCullum is looking to approach Test cricket as a coach. When Stokes was dismissed on day three at Lord’s England were 159-5 and needing 118 runs to win.

With Ben Foakes joining Joe Root at the crease, the game was hanging firmly in the balance with England having a long tail. And Stokes revealed that McCullum was planning to promote Stuart Broad up the order to “go and have a slog” if either Foakes or Root got out.

While Broad does have a Test century to his name, the 35-year-old has averaged just 7.81 for England since the beginning of 2021. However, his last real Test innings of note was a quick-fire 62 off just 45 balls against the West Indies in 2020 and McCullum was prepared to back Broad to replicate that against New Zealand, something Stokes said England are simply “not used to”.

Speaking in his post-match press conference, he said: “Last night, when Foakesy went out to bat, he [McCullum] was going to send Broady in if we’d lost a wicket to go and have a slog just to score 30-40 runs, the game’s done.

“That’s the kind of stuff that we are not used to in the dressing room. Those kinds of things will do us the world of good.

“Just those tiny little things, the confidence, the energy that he brings about his mindset towards the game. If Broady walked out last night, and went off and flayed 20 or 30, pretty sure, you guys would have been like, ‘What the hell is going on here?’

“That’s what he’s going to do. He’s just going to make everyone feel 10 foot taller in any situation that we’re in and I’ve really enjoyed working with him so far.”