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📻 IMPORTANT AUCKLAND UPDATE 📻
McCullum doesn't want to be told what to do as coach
Scott Bailey, AAP •  January 9th, 2026 8:22 am
England coach Brendon McCullum says he knows how to get the best from his team | Photo: Dave Hunt/AAP
Embattled coach Brendon McCullum says he does not want to be told what to do, unwilling to relinquish control of the England dressing room after their nightmare Ashes campaign.
England officials confirmed a thorough review of their tour was already underway, including planning, preparation, performance and behaviours.
In a statement, England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) boss Richard Gould made no secret of the fact their focus was already on regaining the urn from Australia at home in 2027.
It also emerged on Thursday that vice-captain Harry Brook had been handed a final warning about his conduct, with the UK Telegraph reporting he had been fined $AU60,000 for a late-night incident in New Zealand in October.
Brook, who is England's white-ball captain, is reported to have got into an altercation with a bouncer the night before an ODI match.
That matter came six weeks before Ben Duckett was recorded while seemingly drunk in Noosa, during England's mid-series Ashes break.
Regardless, McCullum is tipped to hold onto his job, but it remains to be seen if he willing to adapt to the requests of the ECB after their 4-1 Ashes series defeat to Australia.
Since taking over as coach following England's last away Ashes loss in 2022, McCullum stripped back support staff and gave players more freedom off the field.
He has also driven an aggressive style of cricket, with the BazBall term having headlined England's last three-and-a-half years.
"I am not against assistance but have a firm belief in how to get the best out of these players," McCullum told the BBC after England's five-wicket loss in Sydney.
"I will look at it individually and say 'what could I have done better?'
"Am I for being told what to do? Of course I am not. But at the same time I'm not thinking there won't be areas to improve.
"At the same time, I'm not pig-headed (enough) to think there's not some areas that we can improve on.
England captain Ben Stokes has come out in strong support of coach Brendon McCullum | Photo: Dave Hunt/AAP
"Once we digest once unfolded over the last two months and start to plot and plan a way forward, if you're the man in the chair to do so then you do so with a similar conviction in your methods – albeit with a couple of tweaks."
Asked about McCullum's comments, captain Ben Stokes backed the coach and insisted as a pair they knew how to get the best out of players.
"It's a different place being in the dressing room to being outside of the dressing room," Stokes said.
"It comes with different pressures and it comes with different responsibilities because you've got the players to look after.
"Me and Brendon, we know how to run a dressing room.
"We know how to try and give the lads the best possible chance of being as good as they can be."
Reports have emerged that Harry Brook was fined over a late night incident in New Zealand | Photo: Dan Himbrechts/AAP
Stokes also conceded that the tourists style of cricket may need to change.
At one stage, England had won 12 of 13 Tests under McCullum, but have now slumped to victories in just three of their past 10.
"What we managed to achieve in the first two, two-and-a-half years was very good. We wanted to build on that," Stokes said.
"We wanted to grow as a team and be even more consistent than we were in that.
"If anything, we've done the opposite of that. We've started losing more. We've not won the big series that we want to be winning."
Kyle Mills reveals how he and Baz McCullum talked on field in racing terms | Millsy & Guy
