England coach Brendon McCullum catches up with New Zealand captain Tim Southee at Seddon Park. Photo / photosport.nz
England coach Brendon McCullum catches up with New Zealand captain Tim Southee at Seddon Park. Photo / photosport.nz
A decade after his own ascent caused confusion and recrimination, Brendon McCullum believes Tim Southee’s elevation to skipper is an unequivocal boon for the Black Caps.
Southee will lead the test side at home for the first time when New Zealand clash with McCullum’s England this month, having succeeded KaneWilliamson in December.
Like in 2012, when McCullum replaced Ross Taylor as captain, Southee’s predecessor will be by his side when the first of two tests begins at Bay Oval next Thursday.
But unlike that earlier change, the contemporary leadership switch was free from controversy, and McCullum thought the Black Caps would ultimately be better for the move.
“I think the appointment was a really good one,” McCullum said today in Hamilton, where England were warming up for the test series with a two-day match against New Zealand XI.
“For Tim to take on the leadership role with Kane still within the ranks is a significant positive for the New Zealand side.
“New Zealand cricket is very lucky that [Williamson] is still playing and is able to offer that next layer of leadership to the remaining players within that side.”
That eventually proved true also for McCullum and Taylor, with the pair flourishing together until the former’s retirement in 2016. But Taylor later said he felt hurt and “ambushed” by his demotion on the eve of a test in Sri Lanka, when new coach Mike Hesson installed McCullum into a role he would hold for 31 tests.
Williamson long loomed as a natural heir to McCullum and led New Zealand in 40 tests, culminating in a world championship in 2021. And although McCullum labelled his successor as possibly the Black Caps’ best, he was unsurprised by Williamson’s decision to step aside.
“When he took over the job, he was able to leave it in a better place than he found it, which is all you want to do when you’re thrust into positions of leadership,” McCullum said.
“But captaincy is hard; it’s consuming. It’s not just on the field which is consuming - it’s off the field, because you have to immerse yourself in everyone else’s lives, and all those people in your team, you’ve got to try and encourage them as well. So it’s a really consuming job.
“I thought Kane did an amazing job and he’ll go down as possibly our greatest ever leader.”
Brendon McCullum was succeeded as captain by Kane Williamson. Photo / photosport.nz
Southee, now 34, will unlikely enjoy enough time in the position to attain such heights, but in the immediate future McCullum is expecting fireworks.
The pair played together for eight years and, though Southee’s reign began with missed opportunities in a drawn series in Pakistan, McCullum expected his former teammate to match the aggressiveness of England counterpart Ben Stokes this month.
“I’d say I know Tim better than pretty well - I think I know him very well,” the coach said. “He’s a cricketer in the back end of his career who has played an immense role within New Zealand cricket for the last while and been a real key part of the change from where it was to where it is now.
“We know they’re going to be very good in these conditions and Tim will be creative, as he as he always is, and I look forward to seeing how we’re able to respond.
“Tim’s a cricketer who plays with a full heart and he’ll rally those guys around him - and he’s not afraid to have a crack as well. So it could be quite good, both skippers playing a very similar mould.”
