Harry Brook To Replace Joe Root As England Test Captain! Brendon McCullum’s Bold Statement

Harry Brook with Brendon McCullum, Joe Root in frame | PC - X

As the Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes era came to an end, the ECB handpicked Joe Root and Stephen Fleming as the next captain-coach duo for the England Test team. However, the former head coach has endorsed Harry Brook amid the change in leadership.

During the England vs New Zealand Test series, Stokes, alongside Gus Atkinson, was involved in a nightclub brawl in Chelsea with Saracens academy rugby player Totoa Auvua. 

After the infamous incident, the former England captain went through various media trials before the English board dropped him for a Test match, and later Stokes called it quits from international cricket. 

In the aftermath, the ECB also ended its ties with McCullum as the Test coach, while the legendary Kiwi continues as the white-ball boss. 

Brendon McCullum endorses Harry Brook as future Test captain

While commenting on the recent change in the English Test setup, Brendon McCullum directly showed his disagreement with the ECB's decision to reappoint Joe Root as captain. 

Moreover, the former Test coach endorsed the white-ball captain, Harry Brook, to eventually take over in the red-ball format as well. 

"Everyone knows the affection that I have for Harry (Brook). He's a wonderful player and he's doing a fine job as white-ball leader. I think his time will come in the Test job. I'm looking forward to working with him and hopefully growing and developing him into the leader that he can become," Brendon McCullum told Sky Sports. 

Also Read: Ben Stokes Picks His Side Between MLC And Ashes Return

"At some stage in the future, he will have a very important role in that capacity. But for now, Joe will do an amazing job," he added.

Why is Joe Root not ideal as England's Test captain?

It is worth noting that Harry Brook was appointed as both England's white-ball captain and Ben Stokes' deputy in the Test side under Brendon McCullum. 

However, the talented batter was sidelined to take over the charge when the ECB dropped Stokes from the second Test against New Zealand at the Oval, earlier in June.

As Root led the Three Lions, the hosts were thrashed completely in all departments by the Blackcaps. Later, when Stokes returned for his final dance as an English cricketer for the Nottingham Test, England faced another shambolic defeat.

That said, the prolific batter Root hasn't had much success as a Test captain, losing 27 of 65 matches as England's leader. He is joint-second with Stephen Fleming among the captains with the most defeats in the longest format.

Harry Brook enjoys captain's duties

Although Harry Brook has yet to lead England in Tests, he has an emphatic captaincy record in the ODI and T20I formats. 

Recently, under Brook, England defeated India across both white-ball series at home. Moreover, he took the two-time champions to the semi-final in the 2026 T20 World Cup. 

In the shortest format, he enjoys one of the most dazzling records as captain, winning 18 out of 24 matches for England, with a winning percentage of 75. Meanwhile, in ODIs, he has won 10 matches and lost as many during his brief 20-match stint as captain. 

Moreover, statistics suggest the stylish batter elevates his game even further when leading the national side.

He will next be seen in action as captain during the white-ball leg against Pakistan, but before that, the two powerhouses will be at loggerheads in a three-match Test series.

Also Read: Pakistan Player Banned For 2 Years, Fined In Millions After Cheating In Broad Daylight