Five Key Stats McCullum Needs to Fix to Boost England’s ODI Success
McCullum’s Challenge: Key Stats England Must Overhaul to Revive ODI Fortunes
Brendon McCullum made a remarkable impact as England’s Test coach in 2022 but faces early setbacks in limited-overs cricket. After losing his first T20 series on this tour, England is now trailing 1-0 in the 50-over series following a comprehensive defeat against India in Nagpur.
This latest loss adds to England’s recent struggles, with 30 defeats and just 29 wins in ODIs since their 2019 World Cup triumph. Though it’s still early in McCullum’s ODI tenure, injuries and team selection challenges haven’t made things easier.
However, here are five concerning statistics McCullum must address to steer England back to success ahead of the upcoming Champions Trophy.
1. Powerplay Woes:
England’s top-order struggles continued in Nagpur, losing three wickets in the first 10 overs. Once famous for explosive starts by Jonny Bairstow and Jason Roy, England has lost 88 powerplay wickets in 44 matches since the start of 2022 — averaging two per match, the worst record among Full Member nations.
2. Jos Buttler’s Early Appearances:
England’s skipper, Jos Buttler, rarely had to bat before the 15th over when positioned at number five or lower. Before 2022, he faced this scenario only 10 times in 112 innings. Since then, he’s had to step in early 13 times in just 29 ODIs — a testament to England’s fragile top order.
3. Decline in Centuries:
Between 2015 and their 2019 World Cup win, England batters recorded 55 centuries in 99 matches. Since then, they’ve managed just 23 centuries in 63 games, dropping from 0.56 centuries per match to 0.37. Century partnerships have also taken a hit, falling from 69 in the four years leading to the World Cup victory to just 31 since then.
4. Frequent Collapses:
Getting bowled out in ODIs is far from ideal, yet England has been dismissed 21 times in 44 innings since the start of 2022. By comparison, they were bowled out just 20 times in 98 matches between 2016 and 2021.
5. Middle-Overs Bowling Struggles:
England’s inability to take wickets between the 11th and 40th over has become a critical issue, especially after the departure of Liam Plunkett. Since the start of 2024, England bowlers have averaged 42.4 runs per wicket in the middle overs — better only than West Indies, Bangladesh, and Ireland among Full Member nations. Their economy rate in this phase is the worst of all.
These glaring weaknesses demand immediate attention if McCullum is to restore England’s dominance in white-ball cricket.
