As the jubilant Mumbai crowd faded into the night, Brendan McCullum concluded his first interview since England’s humiliating defeat to India at the T20 World Cup.
He walked towards the pessimistic captain Harry Brooke, who was leaning listlessly on the edge of the boundary.
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There, the two hugged each other tightly – a farewell of sorts.
With the World Cup in England over, Brooke and McCallum will go their separate ways at the weekend – with Brooke returning to Yorkshire and McCullum heading to New Zealand.
The question is, is this a temporary farewell or a more permanent farewell? Will this farewell end one of the most discussed and debated eras in English cricket?
McCallum has been in the game long enough to know that when the campaign ends, he will be asked again about his future.
“I’ve enjoyed this role in all its forms and I’d love to continue,” he volunteers.
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If only it were that simple.
This defeat ended the English winter – a winter that began in Wellington and ended in Wankhede, passing through Australia.
An Ashes defeat, more humiliating headlines than a win, now requires three months to think about what happens next before England’s next game – the first Test of the summer on June 4.
England and Wales Cricket Board chief executive and chairman Richards Gould and Thompson have arrived in Mumbai this week and it is these two who hold McCullum’s future in their hands.
A review announced before the dust settled on Sydney’s defeat continues behind the scenes, with McCullum, whose contract runs until the 2027 home Ashes and subsequent 50-over World Cup in the autumn, taking some time off before being asked to give his opinion.
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In recent weeks, Gould has had the opportunity to publicly support McCallum.
He did not point out the complexity of future decisions and may well have hinted at something more.
“It’s a great job because I’m working with some of the most talented players in the world and it’s a well-structured, well-run organization with great support from the fans,” McCallum said after Thursday’s game.
He doesn’t sound like someone who has been told his job is safe.
What’s clear is that the white-ball outfit still serves McCallum.
After the win in Mumbai, England conceded more goals than ever before – a position where previous England sides had failed.
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It was during the 50-match World Cup 2023, under the captaincy of Jos Buttler and the brief spell of Australian Matthew Mott, that England scored 399 runs against South Africa.
It is a credit to this arrangement that England stayed the course in this match instead of losing by 229 as they did that day.
The previous regime often appeared chaotic. This is clear at least in the offensive style of play it espouses.
Brooke and McCallum also kept their spirits high on this trip, an impressive feat considering what came before.
At the start of the tour, Brook stood up in front of everyone in a Colombo hotel and apologized to his teammates for his risky behavior in Wellington.
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Finally, he took responsibility again, but this time it was for a lost catch rather than a night trip.
Brook’s loss of Sanju Samson under the tutelage of rehired fielding coach Carl Hopkinson should not detract from the clear improvement in fielding in this tournament.
Sloppy training methods have been another accusation against Australia, but England have trained hard, often training late into the night for longer than expected.
While this should be taken for granted, McCullum and Brook also deserve credit for their tactical calls on this trip.
Liam Dawson and Sam Curran were brought back with relative success, while Will Jacks excelled in his new Terminator role.
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After McCallum suggested moving to third, Brooker pitched the 20th inning of his career.
But obviously there are still doubts whether that will be enough to save McCullum as he has taken England to the minimum before bowling.
Your future depends on the World Cup semi-final against India in Mumbai, which is the toughest school, but that’s the situation McCullum made.
It was he who oversaw the Ashes program, which did not include warm-up games and allowed for the mid-series trip to Noosa.
Under McCullum’s watch, Brook, Jacob Bethel and Josh Tonge felt able to hit a nightclub the night before an international break.
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How bad the Ashes was should not and cannot be forgotten.
Other key stakeholders include general manager Rob Key and Test captain Ben Stokes, who are both back in the UK after a week spent stranded in the United Arab Emirates with the England Lions.
Key’s time spent with the team in this competition and his position will also be discussed by the above-mentioned people.
Stokes was the safest, although his and McCallum’s messaging in Australia seemed to conflict at times.
Stokes scored 50 off 152 balls in Brisbane and called on his side to “show a bit of doggedness” in Adelaide, but another defeat five days later confirmed Australia would retain the title and McCullum spoke of his disappointment at England’s departure from the attacking style.
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Still, Stokes backed McCullum before and after the fifth Test in Sydney, when he could have been more coy.
Brooke also staunchly defended McCullum on Thursday night, saying the former New Zealand captain was “125 per cent” the one to continue playing.
Brooke said: “What he has done in the four years since he took over has transformed English cricket, hopefully for the best.”
“He’s the best head coach I’ve ever had.”
Critics will say it’s not surprising that players support a coach whose core philosophy is a relaxed environment.
There is a lot to consider in the coming weeks.
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McCullum wants to stay and his players still believe in him. Is this enough?
