What would happen if Indian Test team was coached by Brendon McCullum?

Since Brendon McCullum took over as England’s Test coach duties in May 2022, the term "Bazball" has become a phenomenon. The aggressive, no-draw policy and faster scoring in collaboration with captain Ben Stokes have changed Test cricket for England. The duo promoted a fearless, attacking brand of cricket that often prioritized results of either win or lose, but never a draw. But what would happen if McCullum coached India and brought this philosophy to a country with traditions and an entirely different cricketing culture?

Brendon McCullum's record as coach

Under McCullum, England, from being a struggling Test side ranked sixth, climbed up to third in the ICC rankings. His record with England in 53 matches is 30 wins, 22 losses, and just one draw, with a win percentage of 56.6%. His time with Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL saw them reach the 2021 final after a poor start, and his coaching stint also includes a Caribbean Premier League title with Trinbago Knight Riders. As a player, McCullum was known for his ultra-aggressive approach, be it his 54-ball century in his final Test or taking New Zealand to the 2015 World Cup final. 

How will McCullum's approach work with Indian players?

Meanwhile, India has historically produced textbook batters. From Sunil Gavaskar to Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and Virat Kohli, the Indian approach to Test batting has focused mainly on technique and patience. Batters like Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, and even KL Rahul have stuck to these values. However, the upcoming players like Rishabh Pant, Sarfaraz Khan, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Nitish Kumar Reddy hint at the new generation more suited to Bazball. However, the Bazball approach needs to be tweaked a bit.

Notably, when England toured India in early 2024, Bazball couldn't find much success. Despite starting strong, they lost the five-match Test series 4-1. Their aggressive batting style failed against India's spin-heavy attack on turning tracks. McCullum himself revealed post-series that England needed to fine-tune their approach.

What will Brendon McCullum have to work on most?    

If McCullum were to take over India, he would have to rename Bazball to BazBalla (with Balla meaning bat in Hindi). It would require changes that respect and adapt to Indian conditions and player strengths. The philosophy would need to emphasise situational awareness, shot selection, and an understanding of spin-friendly pitches. His style of backing players and encouraging freedom could certainly help India become even more fearless.

From a bowling perspective, the former New Zealand captain would also have to give his large time and effort to Indian spinners. However, the pacers will be happy to have McCullum by their side, who could encourage them to go hard at the opposition batters. Interestingly, his coaching record in India is under par. As England’s coach in India, in 13 matches with 2 wins and 11 losses (15.38% win rate). As KKR's head coach in India in 21 matches, he won 8 games and suffered 13 losses (38.1%).