England coach Brrendon McCullum under scrutiny over betting advertertisement

By India Today Sports Desk: England head coach Brendon McCullum is under the scanner over his involvement in an advertisement for a betting company and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is having discussions with him about the same, the cricket board said on Friday.

Brendon McCullum, who took over as England's Test coach last year, appears in advertisements for a Cyprus-registered online bookmarking company. The ECB's anti-corruption codes prohibit players and officials from participating in or encouraging betting on matches, according to the news agency Reuters.

Brendon McCullum was working with Kolkata Knight Riders as the IPL team's head coach before he took over the England Test job. McCullum's association with the betting company began well before he was named as the head coach of the England men's Test team.

McCullum has been seen appearing on advertisements for the betting company on video streaming platform YouTube amid the ongoing IPL 2023 season.

"We are currently exploring the matter and in discussions with Brendon around his relationship with the Cypriot-based betting company, 22Bet," an ECB spokesperson said in a statement.

"We have rules in place around gambling and will always seek to ensure these are followed."

'WORKING THROUGH IT'

"We are speaking to the ECB about this," McCullum's agent Simon Auteri told the Times newspaper.

"I am not going to comment on anything. We are working through it."

England have been revitalised after McCullum joined hands with captain Ben Stokes. The Test team underwent a sea of changes after their defeat in the Ashes and on a tour of the West Indies. McCullum took over from Chris Silverwood while Stokes replaced Joe Root as captain.

With McCullum and Stokes prioritising an aggressive brand of cricket, which has got the moniker 'Bazball', England have won 9 of their 11 Tests under them.

England are favourites to win back the Ashes when Australia come visiting for the all-important 5-Test series in June and July, 2023.