Sam Billings on England captaincy links: 'McCullum and Cummins were taking the mick!'

Sam Billings says New Zealand legend Brendon McCullum and Australia skipper Pat Cummins were among those ‘taking the mickey’ after he was linked with the England Test captaincy.

Kent wicketkeeper Billings emerged as a shock candidate for the England job after Joe Root stepped down from the role in April.

The 30-year-old only made his Test debut in January during England’s Ashes defeat in Australia, but has been a regular in Eoin Morgan’s white-ball team and is respected not only as a dynamic player but as an astute captain and franchise star.

Billings was playing for Indian Premier League side Kolkata Knight Riders when Root resigned and says his IPL colleagues quickly caught on to the fact he was being linked with the job.

‘It was funny because at the time I think I was the second favourite for the job. I literally had Baz [former Kolkata head coach Brendon McCullum], Pat Cummins and Tim Southee taking the mickey out of me the whole time,’ Billings told Metro.co.uk.

‘Pat would go, “heads or tails mate?” when he saw me. There were lots of jokes going around. But look, it was all hearsay. There just wasn’t that many options around. At the end of the day the right decision was made.’

The decision Billings is referring to is Ben Stokes’ appointment as England Test captain. While Stokes was virtually the only viable candidate, it appears to have been a wise move, with the all-rounder leading England to a brilliant five-wicket victory over New Zealand in his first Test as captain.

‘It was always going to be Stokesy and that was absolutely the right decision,’ Billings added. ‘I’ve known him since the age of 13 and he always leads from the front and sets the example in terms of his work ethic.

‘There’s no doubt that he is the