Jos Buttler has suggested that the departure of Brendon McCullum from his role as England’s Test coach could actually improve the team’s odds in the upcoming Cricket World Cup, as the former New Zealand skipper can now devote all of his attention to the limited‑overs format and the quest for the trophy next winter. McCullum’s tenure as the head of England’s red‑ball side came to an end in July, when the board appointed Stephen Fleming as his successor. Despite stepping down from the Test position, McCullum retained responsibility for the white‑ball squads, overseeing a limited‑overs programme that finished the season with an impressive record of eleven victories against just two defeats.
Those wins included series triumphs over India and Sri Lanka in One‑Day Internationals, a boost for England after a dip in form that had lingered since they first lifted the World Cup in 2019. Speaking on his "For the Love of Cricket" podcast, Buttler – who captained England during the ill‑fated defence of their 2023 title – argued that the split‑coaching arrangement has freed McCullum to concentrate solely on the white‑ball game and, in particular, the ODI World Cup that will be staged in southern Africa in 2024. "He’s only got one focus now and that is the white ball," Buttler said.
"It’s not that he couldn’t do everything, because he could, but your time is more spread and you’ve got more to think about with the Test team as well." Buttler explained that with the Test duties removed, McCullum can channel all of his strategic energy into the 50‑over format, while still maintaining a role in T20 cricket. "Now he can focus solely on white‑ball cricket – T20, yes, but mainly ODI cricket with that World Cup on the horizon. It seems like Baz is naturally all in on, ‘how do I win this World Cup with this team?’" he added.
The former New Zealand captain appears to view the World Cup as an attainable target rather than a distant dream. "I think he can sort of see that the World Cup is not that far away.
It’s a real target, now his remit has changed from four months ago being in charge of everything to, ‘right, I can really nail down on this’. He’s just got more time and more focus on that," Buttler continued. He noted that England’s ODI performances have been inconsistent over the past couple of years, making the recent series wins a welcome sign of progress.
"ODI cricket for England has not been consistently great for a couple of years, so there’s some nice growth to go on that and this summer’s been a really good start," he said. The timing of McCullum’s narrowed remit could be crucial, as England prepares for a packed schedule ahead of the World Cup, including a tri‑series in Pakistan and a high‑profile tour of Australia in November.
However, Buttler himself is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury that has already ruled him out of the Pakistan series and left his participation in the Australian tour uncertain. If the injury persists, England could be without its most experienced one‑day batsman for up to eight ODIs and a substantial portion of the pre‑World Cup build‑up. Buttler described his situation: "I’ve had a scan and I’m waiting to see the specialist. Then we’ll know what the next steps are.
The unknown is often the tough part. Any cricketer just wants a physio or a doctor to tell you, ‘on this date you’ll be back playing cricket’. Unfortunately, they can’t do that just yet." In summary, Buttler believes that McCullum’s exclusive focus on the white‑ball game could give England a strategic edge as they aim to reclaim the world title.
By shedding the dual responsibilities of Test and limited‑overs coaching, McCullum can now dedicate his full expertise to refining tactics, building squad cohesion, and fine‑tuning the skill sets required for success in the 50‑over format. While England still faces challenges – notably the fitness of key players like Buttler himself – the streamlined coaching structure may provide the clarity and concentration needed to navigate the demanding road to the 2024 Cricket World Cup.