Kolkata Knight Riders head coach Brendon McCullum has been appointed as the new head coach of the England men’s Test team. England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) have ended the former New Zealand skipper a four-year deal. Interestingly, McCullum’s stint as England’s Test coach will begin against New Zealand. England will host the Black Caps for a three-match Test series, starting on June 2 at the iconic Lord’s.

England will also have a new Test captain at helm when they take on New Zealand. Allrounder Ben Stokes will be leading the team in the upcoming series. Stokes recently replaced Joe Root as England’s Test captain after the team’s consistent struggles in the longest format of the game.

“We are delighted to confirm Brendon as England Men’s Test Head Coach. It has been a real privilege to get to know him and understand his views and vision for the game. I believe his appointment will be good for England’s Test team,” Managing Director of England’s Men’s Cricket Rob Key said.

Brendon McCullum to end association with Kolkata Knight Riders:

The latest turn of events mean Brendon McCullum will step down as the head coach of IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders. McCullum was roped in by the Kolkata-based outfit as their head coach in August 2019. Under his guidance, KKR failed to make it to the playoffs in 2020 but bounced back in 2021. The two-time winners made it to the final in IPL 2021 where they faced defeat against Chennai Super Kings. At present, McCullum is busy coaching the side in IPL 2022.

The season has not panned out in an expected manner for the legendary cricketer and his team. KKR are currently languishing at the 7th spot in the points table with 5 wins from 12 games. They are all but out of the playoffs race this season. Even if they manage to win their remaining two games, they need other results to go their way in order to make it to the next round.