McCullum was confirmed as the successor to Chris Silverwood in the red-ball arena on Thursday, and is expected to start work ahead of the first Test of the summer - against New Zealand at Lord's from June 2
Michael Vaughan has called the appointment of Brendon McCullum as the new England men's Test head coach "a big risk".
McCullum was confirmed as the successor to Chris Silverwood in the red-ball arena on Thursday, and is expected to start work ahead of the first Test of the summer - against New Zealand at Lord's from June 2.
The Kiwi beat competition from the likes of Gary Kirsten and Simon Katich to land the role, after impressing the four-man ECB recruitment panel at interview stage.
Former England captain Vaughan is hopeful that McCullum's experience and stature will bring stability and success back to the national side, who have only won one of their past 17 Tests.
However, he is wary about the appointment of a man who lacks a background in first-class coaching - McCullum has been head coach at Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League and Trinbago Knight Riders in the Caribbean Premier League.
Brendon McCullum is the new England men's Test head coach [Getty Images]
"If English cricket has overlooked someone like Gary Kirsten for a second time I do find it incredibly bizarre," Vaughan wrote in his Telegraph column.
Kirsten lost out to Silverwood the last time the role was vacant.
"I don't see how we have made that call twice. He is the perfect mentor, thinker and culture driver who has done it before and has the T-shirt. What England have gone for in Brendon is exciting and a big name, but it is a big risk as well."
McCullum's partnership with new England Test captain Ben Stokes will be fascinating, but Vaughan is concerned that the pair's similar styles and mindsets might not offer the breadth of perspective necessary on the Test stage.
"If you have two people who are too similar, too gung-ho, the team can become too attacking and one dimensional," he wrote.
"He will not have to do much for us all to see a massive improvement but if it doesn't happen quickly then there will be questions asked about his appointment and whether England would have been better off with a safer pair of hands"
"Everything is perfect, everything is strong and great. Now and then, however, you need a voice that is adding a bit of pessimism to challenge that mindset.
"We know the kind of player Brendon McCullum was and Ben Stokes is now. The perception of Brendon is that he is attacking, flamboyant, risky, a gambler and a bit of a lad. What is our impression of Ben? Exactly the same."
Vaughan is among many pundits to have experessed surprise that McCullum has been appointed in the red-ball sphere, given his prominence on the limited-overs circuit.
The new head coach, however, has said he never considered applying for the white-ball role, the recruitment process for which remains ongoing.
"I looked at the two roles, and the white-ball didn't interest me too much," he said on New Zealand radio on Friday.
McCullum's appointment is a "big risk", says Michael Vaughan [Getty Images]
"That team is flying, they are one of the best teams in the world, they are world champions since 2019, Eoin Morgan is in there, who's a very good friend of mine and has built a structure and a system that will continue well after he finishes playing.
"I wasn't really interested in a cushy gig. If you are prepared to change your life for something it's got to be a bit grunty, meaty. The challenge of trying to bring a team that is rock bottom at the moment out of that situation to build something that is long-term, sustainable and successful, that is where the challenge lay."
"He is taking over England at the right time," Vaughan wrote.
"They are at their lowest ebb since the mid-1990s. He will not have to do much for us all to see a massive improvement but if it doesn't happen quickly then there will be questions asked about his appointment and whether England would have been better off with a safer pair of hands, more experienced and know how to coach in Test cricket."
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