The latter stages of McCullum’s tenure have been blighted by off-field issues. Over the winter, Harry Brook, Jacob Bethell, Josh Tongue and Ben Duckett were involved in late-night incidents.

After England won the first Test of the summer against New Zealand, the series was derailed when Stokes and Gus Atkinson broke the team’s midnight curfew and were present when a member of security staff was punched by a Saracens rugby player.

And McCullum accepted responsibility for what happened on and off the field.

“I was the leader of that group. I was in charge of the team culturally, in charge of the team tactically, in charge of the team’s results as well,” McCullum said.

“If you don’t get the results, being a results business, they fundamentally replace you. “I’m not used to that, I’ve been in this game for over 20 years and I know that if you don’t get the results, someone else needs a chance.

“I put my hand up and accepted that I wasn’t good enough.”

McCullum and Stokes have previously denied that they drifted apart during the Ashes series, and McCullum said he has heard from the all-rounder since news of his exit from the Test role emerged.

“I got some nice messages from Stokesy,” McCullum said. “I guess in some romantic sense there’s something about Stokesy and I dating. We started this together and we dated, and I don’t have a problem with that.”

England’s search for a new Test coach is already underway, with Gould explaining on Sunday that a coach will be appointed before the appointment of a new captain is finalised.

Gould also suggested that the captaincy would be split, perhaps hinting that current white-ball captain Brook, also Test vice-captain, would not be able to lead in all formats.

Brook and McCullum have formed a strong bond while working together with the white-ball teams, and England’s T20 team has just risen to the top of the world rankings.

It raises the question of whether that partnership will be broken if Brook, 27, takes control of the Test side.

“You know what I think about Harry, my affection for him as a player, a person and a leader,” McCullum said.

“He has one of the best tactical brains I have seen in someone so relatively young. He is developing at an incredible rate as a leader. I love working with Harry and would love to continue doing so.

“There will be a lot of solid conversations throughout. Me with the white ball and whoever takes charge of the red ball, ultimately there will be harmony between the three teams because we are going to want the best for English cricket.”

McCullum previously had experience working in an environment where coaching responsibilities were divided. For two years he was a Test coach, with Matthew Mott in charge of the white-ball teams. When Mott was fired in 2024, McCullum took over overall control.

A busy schedule lends itself to dividing coaching jobs, but it can also lead to a team being marginalized in terms of access to multi-format players.

McCullum will now have to build a working relationship with the new Test coach.

Former England coach Andy Flower could be a candidate, while McCullum’s former New Zealand teammate Stephen Fleming is highly regarded and has just left Indian Premier League side Chennai Super Kings.

Former England batsman Jonathan Trott has international experience with Afghanistan and Glamorgan coach Richard Dawson is seen as an emerging local contender.

“Once the Test coach takes over, we will work collaboratively to try to determine what is right for the three formats and what is right for English cricket,” McCullum said.

“I hope it’s a solid conversation, but I hope it’s profitable for everyone. Fundamentally, we just need to get what’s right for English cricket. That will be the number one motivation.”

England, under McCullum, begin a three-match one-day series against India at Edgbaston on Tuesday.

Jos Buttler will play his 200th ODI for England, while tourists can visit the likes of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah.