England's next Test boss: Andy Flower, Andrew Flintoff and Justin Langer among names tipped to replace Brendon McCullum

Brendon McCullum’s departure from the role of England Test head coach leaves the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) with a big hole to fill ahead of a crucial Ashes home series next summer.

McCullum took charge in the spring of 2022 and quickly restored faith in England’s Test team, winning 11 of his first 13 matches. But a disappointing 4-1 Ashes defeat in Australia, followed by eight losses in the team’s last 12 Tests, brought the ‘Bazball’ era to an end and left England scrambling for a new red-ball coach.

A multitude of names from home and abroad are tipped to replace him – but who is in the running?

Justin Langer

Former coach for Australia Justin Langer will probably be at the top of most lists.

Langer recorded 15 wins, 11 losses and 5 draws in his time in charge of the Baggy Greens, retaining the Ashes on British soil with Australia in 2019.

Langer has been out of the international limelight, ironically, since the inception of Bazball, but has been in charge of Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL since July 2023, as well as a brief spell managing London Spirit of the Hundred in 2025.

He is someone who knows the English domestic game well, playing for Middlesex and Somerset in the County Championship as a player.

Andy Flower

Andy Flower was formerly England’s head coach at a time when the Test team reached No. 1 in the world and secured a famous away victory in the 2011 Ashes series.

His tenure ultimately unraveled as a strained relationship with Kevin Pietersen, combined with a chastening 5-0 Ashes defeat in Australia in 2013-14, proved too much to overcome.

He spent five years in charge of the England Lions before enjoying a string of successful coaching roles on the T20 franchise circuit, earning the admiration of former England captain Nasser Hussain.

“For me, the best person for that would be Andy Flower by a country mile,” Hussain said. “Flower took England to No.1 in the world.

“I love his approach to coaching – he was meticulous in everything he did. That’s what has been missing in this England Test match.

“I would do anything if I was Rob Key and the ECB to sign Andy Flower.”

Andrew Flintoff

Former England captain Andrew Flintoff is the current England Lions coach and has also stepped in to assist with white ball duties on recent occasions.

He would be a ready-made in-house promotion for the ECB and would need little handover in terms of getting to know the talent at his disposal.

Flintoff remains close friends with England chief executive Rob Key from their playing days, meaning the pair already have a well-established working relationship.

But deciding who he wants as the next Test captain is likely to be the first item on his inbox after the former all-rounder also last month agreed to become Sydney Thunder’s new head coach in Australia’s Big Bash League.

Gareth Batty

Surrey’s head coach Gareth Batty could also be thrown into the ring in the same bracket.

Batty led Surrey to three successive County Championship titles in 2022, 2023 and 2024 and boasts an impressive coaching record under director of cricket Alec Stewart, who was among the names tipped as a potential replacement for Rob Key.

The former England off-spinner is another who would know the player pool well, having either coached them directly or plotted how to get the better of them as opponents, with current England players Jamie Smith and Matt Fisher under his tutelage at The Oval, as well as former Test No.3 Ollie Pope.

Jonathan Trott

Former England date Jonathan Trott has been out of work since stepping down as Afghanistan head coach earlier this year.

The 45-year-old would certainly be a marked departure from McCullum’s style for those who remember his rough and tumble innings at No.3 that helped England’s march to world No.1.

But he is another who has made a remarkable impression in his relatively short coaching career, leading his Afghanistan team to the semi-finals of the 2024 T20 World Cup.

Mickey Arthur

Mickey Arthur has bags of experience at international level having coached his native South Africa as well as Australia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka over the past 20 years.

But the current Derbyshire boss may prefer to stay out of the limelight and continue to build on his hard work over the past five years.

He signed a new two-year deal with Derbyshire in February but could be tempted by a high-profile return to the Test arena.

Darren Lehmann

Former Australian batsman and head coach Darren Lehmann also falls into the same category as the current Northamptonshire coach.

Working in Lehmann’s favor is that just over ten years ago he was behind two Ashes series wins over England.

It came before his tenure in charge of Australia came to an abrupt end amid the sandpaper gate scandal involving former captain Steve Smith and thug David Warner, with the former stripped of his Test captaincy as a result.

Given England’s recent off-field struggles, hiring such a controversial figure as Lehmann feels unlikely.

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