England drops Bairstow and Moeen Ali as part of white-ball squad overhaul

The England and Wales Cricket Board has initiated a profound restructuring of its international cricket operations, resulting in the removal of Brendon McCullum as head coach of the men’s Test team. This decision signals a definitive conclusion to the "Bazball" era in red-ball cricket while simultaneously clarifying the leadership structure for the limited-overs squads. While McCullum departs the Test setup, he retains his position as head coach of the white-ball teams.

The decision to remove McCullum from the Test role follows a period of decline characterized by seven losses in England's past nine matches. This stretch included a 4-1 series defeat in Australia and a 2-1 home series loss to New Zealand—the latter being the first time England has lost a home series of three or more Tests since 2012. According to ECB CEO Richard Gould, the organization determined that the time was right for a leadership change to target success in the next Ashes series.

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The transition arrives amidst broader instability within the Test side, following the recent retirement of captain Ben Stokes. England's managing director, Rob Key, will continue in his role.

The overhaul extends to the composition of the white-ball squad, which has been reshaped for the upcoming series against Australia. Senior players Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali have been left out of the selection. Bairstow, who reached his 100th Test cap over the winter, and Moeen, who has served as a vice-captain, are being bypassed in favor of emerging talent. The squad for the series includes call-ups for Jacob Bethell, Dan Mousley, and Josh Hull. Additionally, Brydon Carse returns to the fold following the conclusion of a three-month ban for historical betting offences.

McCullum, who had served as the combined red and white-ball head coach since January 2025, addressed his departure in an official ECB statement:

"Of course I'm gutted not to be continuing, but I respect the decision. My focus now is on giving everything I've got to the white-ball teams and helping England keep moving forward."

Brendon McCullum, England white-ball coach, via ECB

Despite the Test coaching vacancy, the limited-overs teams have recently achieved success, culminating in a 4-0 T20 series win against India that placed England at the top of the world rankings. The ECB has begun the search for a new Test head coach to lead the side ahead of the three-match series against Pakistan scheduled to commence on 19 August 2026. While the ECB has not confirmed a successor, industry observers have identified potential candidates including former coach Andy Flower.

The coaching shift is summarized below:

As the England and Wales Cricket Board moves forward, the Test side remains without both a head coach and a captain. The governing body now aims to stabilize the red-ball team before upcoming challenges, including a tour of South Africa in December and a one-off Test against Australia in March at the Melbourne Cricket Ground to mark the 150th anniversary of the first Test.