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Geoffrey Boycott slams England and Wales Cricket Board for not sacking Brendon McCullum after Ashes debacle, calls review baffling.
Brendon McCullum. (AP Photo)
English legend Geoffrey Boycott did not hold back in his criticism of England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) leadership, questioning how its review of men’s cricket could absolve everyone, especially director Rob Key and head coach Brendon McCullum, despite a disastrous Ashes tour.
Writing in his column for The Telegraph, Boycott ridiculed the decision to retain McCullum, arguing it ignores widespread criticism from former players and experts. He also questioned the credentials of the man who conducted the review, CEO Richard Gould, who is a former army man who served in administrative positions in multiple football clubs before being roped in by the ECB in 2022.
“The review was done by Richard Gould, the England and Wales Cricket Board chief executive, who has never played county or Test match cricket, and he decided nobody is to blame. What planet is he on? Is he oblivious to what the majority of former England players and cricket journalists are saying? Gould says it will not be a popular decision to keep Brendon McCullum and he is damn right,” Boycott wrote.
“I’m sure they promised him they would do better, but leopards don’t change their spots, so it looks like we will get the same type of Test cricket. This summer, England will flatter by probably beating New Zealand and definitely beating Pakistan and our chief executive will preen himself saying ‘what a good job I did keeping Rob and Brendon’,” Boycott said of Gould.
Boycott added that, as a former cricketer, Key should have been smarter and fired McCullum.
“But what can never be erased is that the incompetence of Key and McCullum sabotaged our chances of defeating Australia in Australia when they were at their most vulnerable and there for the taking – that sort of opportunity rarely comes along. These two were in charge of selection, pre-planning and the mindset of the players, and they blew it,” Boycott added.
The former batting great said he was not convinced that the Key-McCullum pairing could offer improved performances in the 2027 home Ashes.
“If we play as badly in the next Ashes in England, then most of the ECB hierarchy should get the sack.”
March 23, 2026, 23:41 IST
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