England cricket coach Brendon McCullum speaks on Jofra Archer's IPL contract offer

Brendon McCullum, England men's Test head coach, has commented on pacer Jofra Archer's reported year-long, multi-million-pound contract offer by Mumbai Indians, saying that the game is moving in a different direction than it is now. The deal would require permission from the IPL franchise for Archer to be selected for England's international matches. As per a report in the Daily Mail, Archer is set to be offered the contract after withdrawing from IPL 2023 due to a long-standing right elbow injury.

McCullum, a former New Zealand captain, feels that players won't turn down lucrative long-term T20 league contracts for less work in international cricket, which will challenge the world of international cricket. He suggests working with players and leagues to allow them to play both franchise and international cricket, thereby ensuring that the best players play for their countries.

He also mentioned that England has the advantage of offering their players more money to play international cricket, unlike other ICC nations, which might stop them from pursuing T20 franchise cricket deals. McCullum believes that the experience of playing for England should motivate players to continue representing the country, despite the financial incentives offered by T20 leagues.