Michael Vaughan calls for Brendon McCullum, Rob Key to step down after England's series defeat to New Zealand

England's disappointing 2-1 home Test series defeat to New Zealand has sparked strong reactions, with former captain Michael Vaughan urging the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to make sweeping changes following the team's latest setback.

Writing in his column for The Telegraph, Vaughan argued that Ben Stokes' retirement should mark the beginning of a complete overhaul of England's leadership structure. The former skipper believes head coach Brendon McCullum and managing director of men's cricket Rob Key should also leave their roles after a run of underwhelming results.

Reacting to England's performance, Vaughan insisted the team has continued to squander opportunities despite possessing immense talent.

"Enough is enough. With Ben Stokes walking off into the sunset and results getting worse and worse, now is the time for a complete clear-out, with the coach Brendon McCullum and director of cricket Rob Key going too," Vaughan wrote.

The 50-year-old highlighted the significance of England's defeat, pointing out that losing a home Test series to New Zealand is an extremely rare occurrence.

"To lose to New Zealand at home is a very significant result. The last time that happened in a series of more than two matches was 1999. The last time England lost a three-match series at home against anyone was 2012," he stated.

Vaughan also linked the defeat to England's recent struggles, including the disappointing Ashes campaign and last summer's inability to overcome India at home.

While acknowledging he does not usually advocate for people losing their jobs, Vaughan admitted he could no longer ignore what he described as the team's "wastefulness."

"I take no pleasure in doing this. I don't like calling for heads... But I can't cope with watching English cricket be so wasteful any more," Vaughan concluded.

With Stokes' retirement ushering in a new era for England, Vaughan believes the ECB now faces a defining decision on whether to continue with the current leadership or begin another rebuilding phase.