In a recent statement, former New Zealand captain and current England Test coach, Brendon McCullum, praised Indian cricket stars Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli for their outstanding performances in the ICC Cricket World Cup. McCullum also expressed his anticipation for the upcoming series against India, scheduled to start on January 25, 2023, with the first Test to be held in Hyderabad and concluding on March 11 in Dharamshala.
Brendon McCullum was present in Bengaluru for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) Innovation Lab’s Leader’s Meet: India, which took place last week. This event served as a platform for a convergence of global sporting stakeholders. “Yeah. I like his captaincy (Rohit Sharma’s captaincy). I think his captaincy is bold. He takes risks and he takes the game on. And when you add the talent base of India to these kinds of tactics, then he can achieve very good things. He has been a great leader for not just India but for Mumbai Indians over the years as well,” stated McCullum about Rohit’s captaincy.
Addressing the potential challenge of England’s attacking style of cricket, known as ‘Bazball,’ in India’s spin-friendly conditions, McCullum emphasized the team’s commitment to playing the game they love and striving to excel at it. He downplayed the need for overthinking and highlighted the team’s passion for cricket.
“Well, obviously Virat, I know him pretty well from my time at RCB and also playing against him. So look, he was always touted as a future superstar and he has lived up to, he has dealt with the hopes and the dreams of over a billion people and he has been able to perform on the big stage. He deserves every accolade that he gets,” states McCullum.
Brendon McCullum, the former New Zealand captain and current England Test coach, expressed his excitement for the upcoming tour to India. “Looking forward to duelling with both those two (Rohit and Virat) and all the other guys come the Indian tour in January, February, March. It is going to be a tour which will be very tough, but a tour that we are really looking forward to. The opportunity to take on the best team in their own conditions in the world and see where we are at as a side,” states McCullum.
McCullum’s remarks were made during the RCB Innovation Lab’s Leader’s Meet, where influential figures from the sports world gathered for insightful discussions. The event featured notable personalities such as BCCI Honorary Secretary Jay Shah, Will Brass (Chief Commercial Officer of the English Premier League), Ellie Norman (Chief Communications Officer of Manchester United), and Charlotte Burr (Director of Strategy, Corporate Development & Digital, FIFA).
“I do not know (about the attacking game being sustainable). I do not think we need to think too deeply about it in the end. I think we are playing the game because we love cricket and you want to try and be as good at cricket as much you possibly can. And during the time that you are in the chair (as a coach), you want to make sure you enjoy it. You should not wait till the end of your career to have enjoyed it,” states McCullum. Brendon McCullum, England’s Test coach, expressed gratitude for the team’s recent success in Test cricket, attributing it to the combined efforts of himself, skipper Ben Stokes, and the players who have unlocked their potential over the past 18 months.
“So we are very lucky that we have had some immediate success in the time that we have been there playing this style of Cricket, which gives guys the greatest amount of satisfaction. I do not think it is a ceiling for us, but we will find out in the next little while. But whatever happens, I think we have seen some guys sort of unlock their potential in the last 18 months or so. And that is what the job is as a leader, is to get the most out of people who you are in charge of and done that for a fair few,” he attached. Brendon McCullum, sharing his experience about the Leaders Meet summit, expressed that it was a fabulous opportunity to interact with various top leaders in the sports world.
“That has been good. I has been really cool, actually. I have been invited here to come and share some of my stories around leadership, but the opportunity to rub shoulders with other leaders and have some, I guess, shared experiences is great. What you are after as a leader, you always going to grow and evolve, and this week has been fabulous,” stated McCullum. The Leaders Meet summit appears to be a convergence of sports and business, with the objective of generating insights, ideas, methodologies, and products that will contribute to shaping the future of sports.
Among the distinguished guests were Indian badminton legend Pullela Gopichand, Olympic Gold Medal Winner and world champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, Italian International Football icon & World Cup Winner 2006 Alessandro Del Piero, and G20 Sherpa – India and Ex-CEO of NITI Aayog, Government of India, Amitabh Kant.
The summit provided a platform for meaningful discussions and insights into various aspects of the sports world, bringing together a diverse group of accomplished individuals from different fields within the industry.
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