Mumbai: The English test cricket team’s head coach Brendon McCullum highlighted the significant challenge that England will face in the upcoming test series against India while he was addressing the convergence of global sporting stakeholders at the RCB Innovation Lab’s Leaders Meet India in Bengaluru.
McCullum expressed a sense of anticipation and readiness for the test that lies ahead for Bazball, “We have got a huge challenge against a very good Indian team in five tests in India. I am excited about it because you want to test yourself against the best side and I genuinely believe that India is the best in their own condition. It is going to be a good challenge for us. If we have success then fabulous, if we don’t then I know we will go down in the style that we want to go down.”
RCB Innovation Lab through the Leader’s Meet: India successfully created a participative platform where global sporting heavyweights exchanged influential dialogues, shared innovative ideas and sporting excellence.
“I have been invited here to come and share some more stories about leadership. But the opportunity to oversee and rub shoulders with other leaders that have some similarly shared experiences is what you are after as a leader. You are always trying to grow and evolve and this week has been simply fabulous,” shared McCullum while talking about the significance of the first-of-its-kind summit that brought together influential leaders from various sectors of sports industry to discuss and explore the dynamics of leadership in the ever-evolving landscape of sports.
The renowned former New Zealand captain also revealed that the red ball cricket ensures ninety percent of the English Cricket Board revenue from red ball cricket, and it struggling has a huge impact on the sport for England.
In his address, McCullum also expressed his thoughts on the essence of Bazball and what it stands for, “We are playing the game, because we love cricket and we want to try and be as good at cricket as we possibly can. During the time that you are in the chair, you want to make sure you enjoy it and you shouldn't wait till the end of your career to do so. We are very lucky that we have had some immediate success but I don't think it is the ceiling for us. I think we have seen some guys who have unlocked their potential in the last 18 months or so and that's what the job is as a leader; to get the most out of the people that you're in charge of.”
The 42-year-old also reminiscing the fearless and unbeaten knock of 158 off 73 balls in the very first IPL game credited this unbelievable knock as the inspiration for the Bazball phenomenon and how he still daydreams about this life-changing moment, McCullum said, “The reason why I daydream about that moment is because it literally changed my life. I was just a cricketer for New Zealand, where no one really knew what you did where you're from, or what you're capable of. But that day provided the platform, the forum, and the opportunity to change my life.”
