Lehmann Dismisses England Coaching Links, Insists ECB Has Already Chosen McCullum’s Successor

Darren Lehmann has laughed off suggestions he could be in the frame for the England Test head coach position after guiding Northamptonshire to a record-equalling third T20 Blast title at Edgbaston, asserting that the ECB has likely already identified Brendon McCullum’s replacement.

Lehmann, who resigned as Australia’s head coach following the 2018 ball-tampering scandal and has not held an international role since, joined Northamptonshire last year and recently extended his contract until 2029—a position he balances with broadcast commitments for ABC Radio during the Australian summer.

The ECB’s hunt for a new Test coach suffered a setback on Friday when early favourite Andy Flower withdrew from contention. While Lehmann is not understood to be on the governing body’s shortlist, his name has surfaced in media speculation.

“I’m not sure my wife wants me to spend 300 days [a year] away again,” Lehmann said when questioned about his interest in the vacancy. “I haven’t spoken to them, so there’s no point worrying about it. For me, if they’ve got rid of Brendon McCullum, they’ve already made the decision and got someone behind the scenes, because that’s how it works.”

Since Flower’s withdrawal, Stephen Fleming, Justin Langer, and Richard Dawson have emerged as leading candidates. Fleming recently stepped down as Chennai Super Kings coach and has since indicated he would “100% give it some consideration” if approached by the ECB.

Northamptonshire secured the Blast trophy on Saturday night following tense victories over Somerset and Hampshire. Lehmann heaped praise on captain David Willey for his leadership in steering the county to the title at the age of 36.

“He’s been world-class for us,” Lehmann said. “He’s led the team really well. I can’t speak highly enough of Dave and what he’s brought to the table as a leader.

“His attention to detail is second to none. The amount of phone calls I have from him—I ring him, or he rings me—is really quite weird half the time. For me, it’s quite refreshing that you have a captain that’s so driven to get his players better, and happy to make mistakes.

“He’s one of the blokes I’d first pick in any side. I just love the way he goes about it. He’s trying to get better; he’s not standing still as a 36-year-old… That takes some balls to get better. That’s something I’m really proud of him [for].”

Lehmann added that the Blast triumph ranks among the highlights of his coaching career, alongside his successes with Australia. “I’ve been fortunate enough to work with some really good players and win some big trophies—but this is a big trophy, mainly because of what we’ve got,” he said. “We’re a small club, small budget, but we play big.”

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