Moeen Ali endorses Brendon McCullum to revive England's white-ball cricket
Moeen Ali, who recently retired from international cricket at 37, has expressed his full confidence in Brendon McCullum to rejuvenate England's white-ball cricket. He also believes that McCullum can significantly enhance the performance of his captain, Jos Buttler. During his decade-long career with the Three Lions, Moeen played 138 ODIs and 92 T20Is. He was a crucial part of two World Cup-winning teams in 2019 and 2022.
Moeen's faith in McCullum-Buttler partnership
Moeen, who played a key role in England's white-ball success under former skipper Eoin Morgan and coach Trevor Bayliss, is hopeful about a strong partnership between McCullum and Buttler. This follows the England squad's rebuild after disappointing defenses of their 50- and 20-over titles in 2023 and 2024. McCullum has replaced Matthew Mott, who was sacked following England's semi-final exit at the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup.
Moeen highlights McCullum's influence on Buttler
In a conversation with Sky Sports, Moeen highlighted McCullum's influence as a former Black Caps captain and one of the greatest white-ball batters. He stated that "Brendon just brings this energy," adding that his experience will be particularly beneficial for Buttler, who has multiple responsibilities. Ali believes that McCullum can alleviate some of the pressure from Buttler, allowing him to focus more on his role as captain.
McCullum's plans for England's white-ball cricket
McCullum, who is also England's Test coach, will officially take over the ODI and T20 teams in January. His contract has been extended until 2027 with plans to implement his 'Bazball' strategy in limited-overs cricket. Marcus Trescothick has been named the interim head coach for the upcoming white-ball series against Australia. This move aligns with a tour of India and the ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan.
