Brook Expects Unified England After McCullum's White-ball Takeover

Former England wicketkeeper-batter expects England to perform well after Bazball philosophy from Ben McCullum.

Jonny Brook believes that England's cricket culture is heading towards a more cohesive future as Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum lead the Test and white-ball teams with a shared philosophy.

Brook, who played 54 Tests for England between 2004 and 2014, said he believes McCullum will have a similar impact on England's white-ball teams as he did with the Test side.

"I think there's going to be a lot of continuity," Brook told ESPNcricinfo. "I think what Brendon's done with the Test side is going to filter into the white-ball side as well. I think it's going to be a very good thing for England cricket."

McCullum was appointed England's Test coach in May 2022, and has since overseen a transformation in the team's fortunes. England have won seven of their nine Tests under McCullum, including a 3-0 sweep of New Zealand and a 2-1 victory over South Africa.

McCullum's philosophy, known as "Bazball", is based on playing with an attacking mindset and taking the game to the opposition. It has been credited with helping to revive England's Test team, and Brook believes it could have a similar effect on the white-ball sides.

"I think it's going to be a very attacking brand of cricket," Brook said. "I think we're going to see England take the game on a lot more. I think we're going to see a lot more positive cricket, and I think that's going to be very exciting for the fans."

Brook also praised the appointment of Stokes as England's Test captain. Stokes has led England to four wins in his first five Tests in charge, and Brook believes he is the perfect man to captain the team under McCullum.

"I think Stokesy is a natural leader," Brook said. "He's a guy who leads by example. He's a guy who's not afraid to make tough decisions. I think he's going to be a great captain for England."