Brendon McCullum has been dismissed from his position as Test coach in yet another dramatic development surrounding the England setup.

Just two weeks after Ben Stokes announced his surprise decision to relinquish the captaincy and retire from international cricket, McCullum's removal signals the clear conclusion of the Bazball era.

The New Zealander will keep his role as England's white-ball coach but departs the Test side after a run of disappointing outcomes and multiple off-field controversies.

Director of cricket Rob Key stays in post, with the choice to part ways with McCullum made once England and Wales Cricket Board leaders reviewed the overall position of the men's team.

"I've thoroughly enjoyed leading the Test side and feel great pride in what we accomplished as a group," McCullum said. "There have been remarkable peaks and some challenging moments, yet that comes with embracing such a demanding task.

"Naturally I am disappointed not to continue, yet I accept the call. My attention now turns to committing fully to the white-ball sides and supporting England's ongoing progress."

England have suffered seven defeats in their last nine Tests, among them the 4-1 Ashes loss in Australia.

McCullum, Stokes and Key received backing to stay after that result, only for England to fall 2-1 to New Zealand.

The series defeat to the Black Caps, England's first at home in a minimum three-Test rubber for 14 years, was clouded by a nightclub episode involving Stokes and Gus Atkinson, followed by Stokes' sudden retirement.

England's Test team now has neither head coach nor captain, with the upcoming series versus Pakistan set to start on 19 August.

Harry Brook looks the likely choice as Test captain, though that selection may depend on who takes the head coach role.

Since 1999 England have appointed just two English head coaches for the Test side. Peter Moores held the post twice, while Chris Silverwood preceded McCullum.

Zimbabwean Andy Flower, who guided England to Ashes success in Australia in 2010-11, stands out as a possible successor, though it remains unclear whether he would leave franchise commitments.

Domestic options could feature Glamorgan head coach Richard Dawson or former England spinner Gareth Batty, currently at Surrey. Former all-rounder Andrew Flintoff leads England Lions yet has stated he does not seek the senior post.

Australian Ryan Campbell has earned praise at Durham, while ex-Australia coach Darren Lehmann now heads Northants.

By staying on as white-ball coach McCullum can build on recent gains. The win over India on Saturday secured a 4-0 T20 series triumph against the world champions and lifted England to the top of the world rankings.

McCullum combined the Test and white-ball roles in 2024, two years after first taking charge of the Test team. On arrival in 2022 he oversaw an initial stretch of strong results delivered through exciting cricket.

The alliance with Stokes, known as Bazball, revived an England side that had secured only one win in its prior 17 Tests.

With aggressive batting England recorded notable victories over New Zealand at Trent Bridge, India at Edgbaston and Pakistan in Rawalpindi, the last marking the start of a 3-0 series success. Overall England claimed 10 of their first 11 Tests under McCullum and Stokes.

Since that early run England have lost 19 and won 17 of 38 Tests, starting with a one-run defeat to New Zealand in Wellington after enforcing the follow-on.

England trailed 2-0 in the 2023 home Ashes yet recovered to draw 2-2 and might have claimed the urn without rain washing out most of the final two days at Old Trafford.

The 2024 India tour opened with another memorable win in Hyderabad before ending in a 4-1 series loss.

After returning from India, Stokes, McCullum and Key focused on the 2025-26 Ashes tour, including plans around all-time leading wicket-taker James Anderson.

England devised a strategy built on pace and assembled what was arguably their most potent attack in over 50 years for the trip to Australia.

Yet the tour unravelled amid weak planning, subpar displays and claims of a drinking culture.

After just one warm-up match against the Lions, England held a strong position in the first Test in Perth, 105 runs ahead with nine wickets remaining shortly after lunch on day two. In a remarkable collapse England lost before the close and never recovered.

Although England won the fourth Test in Melbourne, their first victory in Australia for 14 years, displays elsewhere were poor, with a thin squad ill-prepared for tour demands.

Off the field England's image suffered from public drinking in Noosa, where opener Ben Duckett was filmed appearing intoxicated.

Further issues arose at the end of the Ashes tour when it emerged Brook had been hit by a nightclub bouncer in Wellington on the eve of an ODI during the preceding New Zealand trip.

After receiving backing to keep their posts, McCullum and Stokes sought to distance themselves from reports of a supposed rift in Australia.

England strengthened their support staff for better preparation and introduced a midnight curfew to prevent further problems.

Optimism rose after they won the first Test of the home summer against New Zealand at Lord's, yet the nightclub incident during Stokes' celebrations of that victory triggered the sequence of events that has left England in disarray.

McCullum's white-ball contract extends to the end of the 50-over World Cup in southern Africa next autumn.

England must now appoint a Test head coach capable of working with McCullum's prominent personality and relaxed style.

Analysis by chief cricket commentator Jonathan Agnew

It started with impact and finished with impact. Reading the ECB statements leaves one wondering why they dismissed him. The remarks they have issued are striking, claiming he leaves the Test side well positioned for future success, so the reason for removal is unclear.

The decision stems from repeated lapses in discipline, the Ashes and much that was said both on and off the field. Off-field matters carry equal weight. The absence of discipline appears to have been Richard Gould's main focus.

He views the men's game landscape and sees it devastated. The image of the men's side is very poor. Action must be taken to restore discipline and tighten control over English cricket.

Who will replace him? No one knows. It is unlikely to be someone with a similarly relaxed style, even though that approach brought early benefits. It is worth recalling that when McCullum and Stokes assumed control, English cricket faced serious problems. They transformed it, winning 10 of the first 11 Tests together in memorable fashion.

I will watch with interest to see who is appointed. Currently many leading candidates enjoy comfortable franchise roles that offer strong pay, less time away from home and reduced scrutiny compared with the England coach position, which carries intense focus similar to that on the captain.