Taking on the world: The Kiwi who played his part in bringing glory to England

Before he even starts work as England’s Test coach, Brendon McCullum can already claim to have left an indelible legacy on the country’s cricketing fortunes.

The dramatic World Cup victory in 2019 stands as the crowning achievement of the English game in recent years and its inspiration, according to the man who lifted the trophy at Lord’s, was McCullum.

Eoin Morgan forged a close bond with his Kiwi counterpart during their time as IPL team-mates with Kolkata Knight Riders and left an influence which would later see England go from one-day walkovers to white-ball world beaters.

McCullum’s men were the blueprint for the fearless, proactive unit Morgan’s England would become.

“He has certainly been an inspiration for me. He taught me a lot about leadership,” Morgan noted on the eve of the final.

In a pre-tournament interview with the BBC, he explained: “If you look at his body language at any stage of any game, it’s extremely positive. He’s always on the front foot and leading from the front, regardless of the scoreboard or the situation of the game.

“New Zealand had embodied playing fun cricket under McCullum. Playing against them, we were a little bit jealous.”

Now, having inspired England’s limited-overs renaissance from a distance, the 40-year-old from Dunedin has direct responsibility for lifting the Test team from a similarly low ebb. He has been handed the reins despite never previously coaching at first-class level, let alone internationally.

New Zealand had embodied playing fun cricket under McCullum. Playing against them, we were a little bit jealous.- England one-day captain Eoin Morgan.

But the ECB’s director of men’s cricket, Rob Key, trusts more in people than checklists and believes McCullum is made of the