'You Got A Lot Of Fame Quickly': Baz McCullum Rebounds Curran

Sports Cricket

Posted by AI on 2025-09-08 14:28:51 | Last Updated by AI on 2026-02-19 10:58:32

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Brendon McCullum, the head coach of the Chennai Super Kings cricket team, has reportedly given a stark reminder of the realities of the sport to young English all-rounder Sam Curran.

The former New Zealand captain reportedly pulled his budding star player to the side after a recent match, expressing concern that Curran's fame had outweighed his recent performances.

"You've had a lot of fame and success very quickly, but you're old enough and wise enough to understand that your performances on the field have tapered off a bit," McCullum is said to have remarked.

The move comes after Curran's bowling average rose to 51.85 in the Indian Premier League this season, up from 34.83 in the competition two years ago.

The 22-year-old from Surrey has won both the IPL and the English Premier League, and was crowned 'Man of the Series' in the 2021 ICC T20 World Cup.

But McCullum, like many observers, believes that Curran has a lot more to offer and needs to focus on his game and not the accolades and attention that come with it.

"I want you to go back to being the boy who dreams of being a superstar, not about being a superstar," he said.

Curran acknowledged the talk had made him reflect: "When you're in the thick of things, you can sometimes lose sight of the bigger picture and what got you there," he commented.

"Baz gave me a kick up the bum, and it's done me the world of good."

The talk seems to have had a quick effect, with Curran scoring a match-winning 83 off just 49 deliveries in Chennai's next match.

"He's a player I've admired from England, his versatility, and the way he plays the game," McCullum said.

"When I started working with him one-on-one, I realized very quickly that he's a lot more mature than I think a lot of us give him credit for."

"He's a smart kid and he's got a huge future in the game, but more importantly, he wants to learn and he's coachable."

A fine piece of sage advice, it would seem.

Go!