Former Aussie skipper almost pipped McCullum to England job

Brendon McCullum has embarked on a test cricket revolution with England but it’s been revealed how close he came to missing out on the job.

The former New Zealand captain has guided England to 11 wins from 14 tests since being appointed in May last year, most recently seeing his side narrowly edged in a thrilling first Ashes test in Birmingham.

Australia clinched a two-wicket victory earlier this week and, had England’s coaching search played out differently, the tourists could well have been facing one of their own.

Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting revealed that he was offered the England test coaching job last year, before McCullum had the chance to install his aggressive Bazball style of play.

But when England were looking to replace former coach Chris Silverwood, with the team on a woeful run of one win in 17 tests, Ponting turned down the job.

“I actually got asked before Brendon took the job, there you go,” Ponting told Guerilla Cricket. “You guys might be the first to find that out — but I did take some calls from [England men’s cricket director] Robert Key as soon as he took over that job. But I’m just not ready for a full-time international coaching job, where I’m at in my life.

“Having travelled as much as I have, with young kids now I just don’t want to be away as much as I was. And even talking to Brendon, his family is only just arriving today. When you’ve got kids that are in school, moving them around, that’s not what I want to do.”

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission