It’s actually funny how life works out in the end, especially in competitive modern sports. And just how’s that? Take the example of cricket! Certain players that you never thought you’d see or even run into on the ground once your competitive days as an international cricketer are done, actually turn out to be in your own camp or as they say, in your own side.
The most classic example of this is the case of the Indian Premier League aka the IPL.
Take the case of Shoaib Akhtar and Sourav Ganguly, a duo that may not have been dreaded enemies or anything of that sort but still belonged to two rivals that did share a bitter rivalry during the peak of their careers- didn’t they? And how wonderfully did the two gel together in the team when it came to wearing the same jersey for KKR!
Similarly, think of Ponting and Tendulkar- two great batsmen who belonged to utterly contrasting teams, that eventually, batted together for several games for the IPL’s famous Mumbai Indians side.
In that regard, even come to think of someone like New Zealand Brendon McCullum, one of the fiercest and very fearless dashers of the ball of his day and Ben Stokes of England.
Just who would’ve thought, it ought to be thought, that there’d come a day where the two contrasting forces of international cricket would join forces for one common side. Moreover, that Brendon McCullum, of all cricketers, would be crowned the head coach of the very team he took pride in smashing to all sides of the park!
But that’s life, that’s cricket and that is how things pan out eventually at times.
Recently, Brendon McCullum, vastly recognized as one of the most gutsy cricketers and captain to have represented the great game opened up on a whole array of subjects concerning the way he’d like to go about his coaching job for the England cricket team and the following is what he came up with:
“I don’t think it’s really that much of an issue, I guess we’ll find out in time,” he was found answering some candidly during an interaction with Sky Sports. “I’m confident in the skills that I’ve got, confident in the group that we have to start things off.”
That being said, the newly appointed England coach McCullum also spoke about some methods he might undertake and the adjustments thereof that may be required by the famous cricketing team during his time as its coach.
He’d add the following:
“Obviously it’ll take me a little while to become completely adjusted to some of the methods and the ways over here, and might take some time for guys to adjust to me as well. But I’m looking forward to it. It’s a big risk taken by everyone but you don’t get anywhere unless you’re prepared to take a couple of risks in life.”
But then, a question that has cropped up from the time McCullum was appointed the England head coach is one that pertains to this methodology.
Therefore, it ought to be asked as to what is the Brendon McCullum pedagogy as England head coach? Finally some answers below in the words of the great Kiwi Test triple centurion:
“I certainly don’t coach technically. I understand the technique but for me it’s more around tactics, man management and trying to provide the right environment for the team to go out there and be the best versions of themselves. With Stokesy as captain, we’ve got a very strong leader, a real follow-me type captain, and then my job will be to ensure that we’re consistent with our messaging, we’re able to look after the guys in the environment and try to allow them to really grow at a speed that they might not have got to previously,” concluded the former New Zealand captain, Brendon McCullum.