McCullum praises Brook as England top T20 rankings

Brendon McCullum, England’s white‑ball coach, lauded captain Harry Brook after the team’s eight‑wicket triumph over Sri Lanka on Saturday, which completed a T20 series whitewash and propelled England to the No 1 spot in the ICC rankings. Brook, who was named player of the series, has now led England to 23 victories from 26 completed matches as skipper.

McCullum praised Brook’s growth both on and off the field, noting that the young captain’s leadership has become a key factor in England’s recent success. While Brook’s record in the shorter formats is impressive, McCullum acknowledged that the Test arena still requires a different skill set and that Brook may not yet be the ideal candidate for that role. Nevertheless, his “smash and grab” style of captaincy fits well with the aggressive approach England has adopted in limited‑overs cricket.

With the ODI series against Sri Lanka set to begin this week, England will look to build on the momentum from the T20 win, while Brook’s continued development as captain will be closely watched as the team prepares for the next phase of international competition.