‘Brendon McCullum must go with Ben Stokes’: Former England pacer lambasts current Test setup

England’s Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes (AFP photo) Former England fast bowler and Ashes winner Steve Harmison has strongly criticized England’s current Test set-up, saying head coach Brendon McCullum should step down following Ben Stokes’ international retirement announcement during the third Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge.Harmison, who played 63 Tests and took 226 wickets for England, said he was never convinced by the aggressive “baseball” approach introduced by McCullum. While the strategy initially brought success, Harmison believes England’s recent performances, including a heavy Ashes defeat and inconsistent Test results, show the approach is no longer working.Harmison argued that Stokes and McCullum were the package to reshape English Test cricket, and when Stokes stepped down, McCullum should follow.“McCullum has to go with him. And that’s it. If we’re going to go through with that interview, McCullum has to go with him. I have huge respect for Brendon McCullum as a person, but this Baseball stuff, that’s not Test cricket. That’s amateur,” Harmison told Talksport Cricket.He also asked how senior batsman Joe Root views England’s recent matches.“I’d like to know what Joe Root thinks about it when he goes in to bat. I’d really like to know what Joe Root thinks about this whole last fortnight. But I think with Ben Stokes now, Brendon McCullum’s influence on this team now, I’m not convinced it’s great for England cricket, especially in the Test Match Arena series, which he added less than 1 month before the Ashes.

Ben Stokes explains the decision to retire

Stokes shocked the cricketing world by announcing his international retirement during the fourth day of the third Test. Explaining his decision, he admitted that mental and physical exhaustion played a big role.“It might sound quite selfish, but this decision is really the best thing for me right now,” Stokes told Sky Sports.“I hope it’s the best thing for the team going forward, but I also hope it allows me to love this game that has given me so much.“The Lord’s Test, for me, was something that brought up negative feelings about where I am in my career. Ever since I came home (from Australia), I’ve worked so hard to get things right, or so I thought. I’ve put so much time and effort into it and I’ve just burnt myself out,” he added.