Brendon McCullum set to be appointed England men’s Test coach

Former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum is set to be appointed as England's Test coach having informed close contacts that he has been offered the job.

He is also understood to have handed in his notice at Kolkata Knight Riders, leaving him free to take up a new role after their final game of the Indian Premier League season is played next Wednesday.

A formal announcement from the England and Wales Cricket Board is expected soon, with McCullum emerging as favourite since the interview process was completed.

The Indian Express reported on Wednesday that KKR’s players have been told about McCullum’s imminent departure, with an unnamed insider quoted as saying: “He informed us that he won’t be part of KKR going ahead as he will be taking up a job as England cricket team coach. He informed us during a team meeting a few days ago.”

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England’s new director of men’s cricket, Rob Key, said last week that a job in the IPL would not stop a candidate from being appointed coach of the Test team, but McCullum has nevertheless decided to concentrate on his role with the ECB.

“It’s not an issue if they’re the best person,” Key said. “You have to move with the times and I can’t see why Jos Buttler, for instance, could play the whole IPL but our coaches couldn’t be there for it all. Who knows where the IPL will be in five years’ time but at the moment there’s no international cricket when the IPL’s on. I’d rather have the best person for 10 months a year than someone not as good for 12.”

McCullum guided KKR to last year’s IPL final, albeit after a stunning and unexpected turnaround with the team having lost five of their first seven games, but this season they sit seventh in the table and only bottom-placed Mumbai Indians have lost more matches.

While McCullum’s appointment could be confirmed as early as Thursday the process of recruiting a white-ball coach continues, with the interview process still incomplete.

Matthew Mott, the 48-year-old head coach of Australia’s women’s white ball team, has emerged as a leading contender for the equivalent job with England’s men, for which his chief rival is thought to be Paul Collingwood, England’s interim head coach for the five-match T20 series in Barbados in January as well as their three-Test tour of West Indies in March. – Guardian