4 min readMar 24, 2026 12:21 PM IST
Former England captain and legendary batter Geoffrey Boycott has slammed the ECB chief executive Richard Gould and managing director Rob Key for the review into England’s Ashes defeat earlier in the summer.
The 85-year-old questioned the process behind concluding that head coach Brendon McCullum would continue in his role, adding that Gould and Key would not win too many supporters to keep the former New Zealand captain in the job.
“The worst pre-planned Ashes tour in my lifetime, and nobody is held to account or to blame? In the famous words of John McEnroe: “You cannot be serious.” 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 in his column for The Telegraph.
He questioned the accountability for not making any changes to the current setup, adding that questions would be raised about how both McCullum and Key had made bad decisions during the Ashes and yet gone unscathed.
“Rob Key, the men’s director of cricket, should take a lot of blame for allowing this situation to become so ingrained in the coach, the players and the backroom staff. He appointed McCullum, and he is his boss. Key has played Test cricket and lots of county cricket, so he has no excuse for doing nothing.”
“Like me, cricket supporters will be asking how McCullum and Key could make so many bad decisions on the Australian tour and yet the chief executive of English cricket decides there is no need to make any changes. Where is the accountability?” 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,” he wrote.
Story continues below this ad
Boycott added that while McCullum has brought in a fresh approach to England’s setup, his methods have also led to complacency creeping into the system.
“Nobody wants to see McCullum lose his job because we all respect, admire and appreciate what he has done for our England team. He has been a breath of fresh air for English cricket, freeing up the minds of the players and getting them to express themselves to give us some exciting cricket and magnificent wins.”
“In trying to create a free-spirited team, he has made them too comfortable and complacent. They know they will not get dropped, whatever their performances or conduct on or off the field,” he added.
The former England opener also referred to McCullum as ‘stubborn’, adding that he did not see him changing his approach in future.
Story continues below this ad
“I don’t know anyone who wants to see him sacked, but he is so stubborn. It’s his way or not at all. He views being forced to change as a sign of weakness. I believe being strong and bloodyminded can be a strength, but being dogmatic can be a weakness, too. So I don’t see him changing or being flexible,” Boycott wrote.
