New Zealand legend Brendon McCullum has been appointed England's Test head coach.

The 40-year-old was confirmed on Thursday as Chris Silverwood's successor and will take up his first coaching role at international level.

Former Black Caps captain McCullum had been considered a strong candidate to coach England's white-ball teams, having been employed by Indian Premier League franchise Kolkata Knight Riders and Caribbean Premier League team Trinbago Knight Riders.

Rob Key decided to bring in separate Test and white-ball head coaches after he was appointed as managing director of England men's cricket last month.

Key led the interviews for both roles this week, and it is former wicketkeeper-batter McCullum who has been given the opportunity to turn England's fortunes around in the longest format under new skipper Ben Stokes.

McCullum said: "I'd like to say how pleased I am to be given this opportunity to positively contribute to England's Test cricket set-up and move the team forward into a more successful era.

"In taking this role on, I am acutely aware of the significant challenges the team faces at present, and I strongly believe in my ability to help the team emerge as a stronger force once we've confronted them head-on.

"I've enjoyed several robust conversations with Rob Key about the direction of travel for the team and have found his enthusiasm contagious. I'm no stranger to bringing about change within a team environment, and I can't wait to get started.

"Ben Stokes is the perfect character to inspire change around him, and I look forward to working closely with him to build a successful unit around us."

New Zealand legend Brendon McCullum has been appointed England's Test head coach.

The 40-year-old was confirmed on Thursday as Chris Silverwood's successor and will take up his first coaching role at international level.

Former Black Caps captain McCullum had been considered a strong candidate to coach England's white-ball teams, having been employed by Indian Premier League franchise Kolkata Knight Riders and Caribbean Premier League team Trinbago Knight Riders.

Rob Key decided to bring in separate Test and white-ball head coaches after he was appointed as managing director of England men's cricket last month.

Key led the interviews for both roles this week, and it is former wicketkeeper-batter McCullum who has been given the opportunity to turn England's fortunes around in the longest format under new skipper Ben Stokes.

McCullum said: "I'd like to say how pleased I am to be given this opportunity to positively contribute to England's Test cricket set-up and move the team forward into a more successful era.

"In taking this role on, I am acutely aware of the significant challenges the team faces at present, and I strongly believe in my ability to help the team emerge as a stronger force once we've confronted them head-on.

"I've enjoyed several robust conversations with Rob Key about the direction of travel for the team and have found his enthusiasm contagious. I'm no stranger to bringing about change within a team environment, and I can't wait to get started.

"Ben Stokes is the perfect character to inspire change around him, and I look forward to working closely with him to build a successful unit around us."

Delhi Capitals remain in Indian Premier League playoff contention after Mitchell Marsh and David Warner powered them to an eight-wicket victory against Rajasthan Royals.

The Royals had won all four of their previous IPL meetings with Delhi in Mumbai, but their opponents had no trouble in chasing down a target of 161 for a crucial victory.

That is despite losing opener KS Bharat on a duck off the second ball, with Australian duo Marsh and Warner sharing a 144-run stand to pave the way for a successful chase. 

Rishabh Pant also contributed 13 runs after Marsh (89) was caught by Kuldeep Sen in the 19th over, allowing Warner (52 not out) to score the winning runs with 11 balls to spare.

Ravichandran Ashwin had earlier hit a maiden IPL fifty, while Devdutt Padikkal chipped in with 48, but the Royals could only muster 160-6 from their 20 overs.

Chetan Sakariya starred with the ball for the Capitals with figures of 2-23, while Marsh and Anrich Nortje also took a couple of wickets each.

Oz delight for Delhi

Marsh's blistering knock of 89 was his highest in the IPL, consisting of seven sixes and five fours.

Warner also impressed with his 52 runs, meaning he has now registered 50-or-more runs on 30 occasions – eight more than next best Shikhar Dhawan.

Royals outclassed

Only against Punjab Kings (14) have the Royals won more IPL games than they have against the Capitals (13), yet they were easily second best on Wednesday.

Instead of tightening their hold on a top-four spot, they are now just two points ahead of fifth-placed Delhi and still have work to do if they are to reach the play-offs.

Jimmy Adams, Director of Cricket at Cricket West Indies does not believe regional players are taking advantage of the governing body to secure T20 contracts in the more lucrative T20 leagues around the world.

During a press conference on Monday with Lead Selector Desmond Haynes, Adams, who was also present, was asked whether this was the case in the wake of the recent development wherein Shimron Hetmyer took time off from the IPL to attend the birth of his child in Guyana, promising to return to complete the season, but using the same reason, has declared himself unavailable for the West Indies white-ball tours of The Netherlands and Pakistan that start later this month.

There have also been instances in the past where players have declined invitations to represent the West Indies choosing instead to play franchise cricket.

“You will have players who will opt not to take contracts because they want the freedom to go and play whenever and wherever. While I respect that, by the same token I think we kind of understand where those players’ priorities lie. There could be a few others like that around. We live with them and we move on if we have to,” Adams said.

“I don’t think that is a majority, I don’t think it impacts us in a negative sense, per se. We have had many players in the last few years who have played, who are not contracted players - your Chris Gayles, your Andre Russells.

“Yes, it needs managing for sure at both the international and the levels within the regions around the world. I think given where we are now in world cricket, and I believe where we are now in West Indies cricket, that we are doing a pretty good job of it.”

That said, Adams does concede that in regions like the West Indies where player contracts pale in comparison to those offered by the wealthy owners of IPL franchises, there is little that can be done.

“T20 cricket and the leagues are here to stay. I don’t necessarily think that they are a bad thing. At the end of the day what players have nowadays that they did not have in my time and Sir Desmond’s time was choice and I don’t think choice is a bad thing.

“We try to ensure we don’t have any overlaps with either IPL or CPL, so all our contracted players know that there is a minimum of two windows where they will not have any competing international cricket. As it stands now it is not something that sees us losing control.”

Chennai Super Kings all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja will miss the rest of the Indian Premier League due to a bruised rib.

It has been a miserable tournament for Jadeja, who was named CSK captain but stepped down after just over a month in the role.

MS Dhoni took over the captaincy duties once again when the India international relinquished the job at the end of last month.

And Chennai on Wednesday revealed that Jadeja will play no further part in the IPL.

Jadeja missed the 91-run hammering of Delhi Capitals on Sunday and has been ruled out of his side's three remaining games on medical advice.

Dhoni was critical of Jadeja's captaincy after he stepped down.

"I think Jadeja knew last season that he would be captaining this year," he told Star Sports.

"For the first two games, I simply oversaw his work and let him be later. After that, I insisted that he take his own decisions and bear responsibility for them.

"Once you become captain, it means a lot of demands come in. But it affected his mind as the tasks grew. I think captaincy burdened his prep and performances.

"So it was a gradual transition. Spoon-feeding doesn't really help the captain; on the field you have to take those crucial decisions and you have to take responsibility for those decisions.

"Once you become the captain, we have to take care of many things and that also includes your own game."

Holders CSK are ninth in the table with only four wins from 11 matches.

Cricket West Indies lead selector Desmond Haynes and Director of Cricket Jimmy Adams have blasted players for not being able to meet minimum fitness standards that would qualify them for selection to the senior men's squad.

“I’m pretty disappointed as well,” Haynes said speaking in a press conference on Monday.

“When you look at the amount of cricket that is being played around the world, I think there is a certain level of fitness that is required and I think there is a standard that you should set as a professional cricketer,” added Haynes before going on to mention how picking players while being unsure of whether or not they can finish tours is a concern.

“I do get concerned when you have to be selecting the side and not sure if these guys are going to be fit enough to finish the tour,” he said.

"For contracted players who are unavailable for fitness, there are consequences that are outlined in the contracts," Adams said.

One player who missed out on selection for the tour of the Netherlands in June because of failure to meet minimum fitness requirements is Trinidadian left-handed opener, Evin Lewis.

"We have players who, in our eyes are good enough to be considered for selection who are unavailable because of not even coming in on minimum fitness standards. That is very disappointing. For players who are contracted, that is doubly disappointing,” the former West Indies middle-order batsman added.

On a more positive note, Haynes commented on the inclusion of new faces in the team like St. Maarten’s Keacy Carty.

“As the new group of selectors, we have made it very clear that we will give opportunities to people and try to broaden the pool and start thinking with 2023 in mind,” he said.

Gujarat Titans secured their place in the Indian Premier League play-offs with a dominant 62-run win over Lucknow Super Giants.

The two competition debutants have enjoyed sparkling first seasons in the league and each went into this game with just three defeats.

But the Titans comfortably had the upper hand on Tuesday, cruising to victory despite being restricted to 144-4 with the bat.

Shubman Gill's unbeaten 63 got them to that total, before Rashid Khan (4-24) starred with the ball as the Super Giants crumbled to 82 all out in reply.

Gill hit seven fours as his impressive form continued, the opener anchoring the Titans' innings and combining for critical partnerships of 52 with David Miller (26) and 41 with Rahul Tewatia (22 not out).

Lucknow would likely have been confident of a successful chase despite those stands; however, their hopes soon diminished as they lost four wickets in under eight overs.

Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore took a tricky catch to dismiss Quinton de Kock (11) one delivery after he had top-edged Yash Dayal for six. Dayal removed Karan Sharma after Mohammed Shami took the key wicket of KL Rahul, with Rashid then ending Krunal Pandya's brief innings as he was stumped by Wriddhiman Saha.

Saha stumped Ayush Badoni and ran out Marcus Stoinis before Jason Holder and Mohsin Khan fell within an over of each other to Sai Kishore and Rashid respectively. 

It was Rashid who finished things off with the wickets of Super Giants top-scorer Deepak Hooda (27) and Avesh Khan (12), who had hit him for successive sixes before being given out caught behind on review.

Shubman succeeds again

Shubman backed up his half-century against Mumbai Indians last time out with another here. It marked the fourth of the tournament for a player who is fourth on the list of top run-scorers with 384.

Gujarat book their place

Gujarat will finish among the final four after moving onto 18 points from 12 games. The only question remaining for the Titans is whether they will secure top spot to ensure they will get two attempts to make the final.

West Indian left-hander Shimron Hetmyer has left the Rajasthan Royals in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) to return home to Guyana for the birth of his first child.

"My stuff is still left in the room," the 25-year-old said in an interview, indicating that he will be returning to India to see out the rest of the IPL.

Royals are in third place and are looking like one of the better placed teams to make the playoffs which are set to begin on May 24.

However, the player has not made himself available for the West Indies white-ball tours of the Netherlands and Pakistan starting later this month.

Hetmyer left Mumbai on Sunday morning on the back of another high-impact cameo - 31 not out off 16 balls against Punjab Kings that helped seal a chase of 190.

Jasprit Bumrah's stunning five-for proved in vain as Kolkata Knight Riders kept their hopes of a place in the Indian Premier League play-offs alive with a 52-run win over Mumbai Indians.

Already out of contention for the top four having won just two of their first 10 games, Mumbai confirmed before the match that batter Suryakumar Yadav would miss the rest of the season with a left forearm injury.

However, Bumrah gave their fans something to cheer with a remarkable display of pace bowling, taking figures of 5-10 as KKR were restricted to 165-9.

Yet that total proved well beyond Mumbai as Pat Cummins and Andre Russell thrived with ball in hand to help KKR to their fifth win of the campaign.

A positive start from KKR that saw Ajinkya Rahane (25) and Venkatesh Iyer (43) put on 60 for the opening wicket eventually gave way to a Bumrah masterclass.

The turning point in their innings came in the 15th over as Bumrah removed Russell (9) and Nitish Rana (43) to reduce KKR to 139-5.

KKR never recovered from there and were helpless in the 18th as Bumrah produced a triple-wicket maiden.

Mumbai failed to deliver a batting effort to match his performance with the ball, the tone set when Rohit Sharma (2) was given out caught behind on review from the sixth ball of the reply.

Ishan Kishan (51) was the only Mumbai batter to score more than 15, Cummins displacing him in the 15th over, which also saw Daniel Sams (1) and Murugan Ashwin (0) caught to turn the tide firmly in KKR's favour.

The final three dismissals all came via run-outs as Mumbai's increasingly desperate chase ended with them bowled out for 113.

Bumrah blitz

India fast bowler Bumrah's figures marked the best of his IPL career, beating the 4-14 he took against Delhi Capitals in 2020.

The highlight was unquestionably the 18th over, in which Sheldon Jackson and Cummins both fell before Bumrah had Sunil Narine caught and bowled. Tim Southee denied him a sixth wicket and a hat-trick.

KKR still in the hunt

Defeat for KKR would have ended their top-four hopes. As it is, they still have an outside chance of making the play-offs. They are one of four teams on 10 points, four points behind fourth-placed Royal Challengers Bangalore.

However, three of those teams have a game more to play, meaning KKR's fate is therefore not in their own hands.

Three newcomers – fast bowlers Jayden Seales and Shermon Lewis as well as specialist batter Keacy Carty – have been named in the West Indies ODI squad for the upcoming tours of the Netherlands and Pakistan starting later this month.

Meanwhile, Jason Holder is being rested to manage his workload whilst Shimron Hetmyer is also unavailable for selection following the birth of his first child. Evin Lewis was not considered for selection after failing to meet CWI’s fitness criteria.

The West Indies will visit the Netherlands for three ODIs on May 31, June 2 and 4, followed by another three ODIs on June 8, 10 and 12 in Pakistan.

Both Seales and Lewis have played at the Test level while Carty is the first player from St. Maarten to be selected for the West Indies Senior Men’s team as the era of Nicholas Pooran’s captaincy begins.

“We were impressed with Carty and the way he goes about his innings, we saw several glimpses of his ability the way he played against England earlier this year for the CWI President’s XI,” said Lead Selector Dr Desmond Haynes.

“We hope that by giving him this opportunity he will recognize the importance of representing the West Indies. We think he is a young batsman with great promise, and this is the kind of tour he can show he fits in.”

Dr Haynes also expressed confidence in the fast bowlers selected for the white-ball tours.

“We also have a very good group of young fast bowlers who have demonstrated their ability and we want to use these two tours to give them opportunities in the 50-over format,” he said.

“We have a week in The Netherlands and another week in Pakistan and this should provide them with quality opposition to bowl against as we build towards the Cricket World Cup in 2023.  Phillip has been around for some time, and we know what he can offer, Seales has been very good in Test cricket and Lewis is making a return to the West Indies set-up following some good performances.”

The tour of the Netherlands will be the first-ever ODI Series between the two teams and will be played at the VRA Cricket Ground, Amstelveen.

The matches in Pakistan will be played at the Pindi Stadium in Rawalpindi. Both series form part of the ICC ODI Super League, where teams will have the opportunity to earn points to secure one of the top seven places, excluding hosts India, to gain automatic qualification for the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.

The West Indies squad: Nicholas Pooran (Captain), Shai Hope (Vice Captain), Nkrumah Bonner, Shamarh Brooks, Keacy Carty, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Shermon Lewis, Kyle Mayers, Anderson Phillip, Rovman Powell, Jayden Seales, Romario Shepherd and Hayden Walsh Jr.

Match schedule:

West Indies tour of Netherlands

May 31: 1st ODI at VRA Cricket Ground, Amstelveen

June 2: 2nd ODI at VRA Cricket Ground, Amstelveen

 June 4: 3rd ODI at VRA Cricket Ground, Amstelveen

 West Indies tour of Pakistan

June 8: 1st ODI at Pindi Stadium, Rawalpindi

June 10: 2nd ODI at Pindi Stadium, Rawalpindi

June 12: 3rd ODI at Pindi Stadium, Rawalpindi

Joe Root captaining England "at the most horrendous time" for his side in Test cricket is "one of the great sporting achievements", according to new men's managing director Rob Key.

Root succeeded Alastair Cook as red-ball captain in 2017 and resigned last April after a torrid run of one win in 17 Tests, with a 1-0 series defeat to West Indies the final straw.

Yorkshireman Root still delivered remarkable returns with the bat in 2021, despite England's struggles, scoring 1,708 runs in 15 matches, including two double centuries and a further four tons.

Only Pakistan's Mohammad Yousuf (1,788 in 2006) and West Indies legend Viv Richards (1,710 in 1976) have ever managed more in a single calendar year.

Key, tasked with transforming English cricket in his new role, appointed Ben Stokes as the new skipper of the Test side but was quick to credit Root for his efforts during a tumultuous period.

"I remember just thinking: Oh, my God. Joe Root. How well has he done?," Key told Sky Sports. "We obviously know he's had a great year but he has had that year when he was doing everything as well it seemed.

"There was so much put on his shoulders. He was trying to be the ambassador for the England team that he is as a captain, and in a team that was struggling and the way that he was playing and what he was able to do. It's honestly one of the great achievements.

"Statistically it will just look in history as 'He got this amount of runs and he did this and he was this as a captain', but it won't actually say in there, 'Oh, and by the way, it was the most horrendous time to be an England cricketer, where you are under so much pressure and the captain was the lone man doing it all'.

"It's one of the great sporting achievements. And as well for him to then now seem to have somehow parked it all to some degree and he's like, right, what do you need? How do we move on from here? How can I help Ben? We probably don't realise how lucky we are to have him."

James Anderson and Stuart Broad have 1,177 Test wickets between them but were surprise omissions for the tour of West Indies, as Root travelled with a new-look side under the interim stewardship of Paul Collingwood.

However, Key and Stokes have both made it clear that England plan to reintroduce the pair for the three-Test series against New Zealand, which starts on June 2 at Lord's.

Key also acknowledged why Broad and Anderson were left out of the squad, even if he would not have done the same thing.

"I don't look at everything as just black or white, I always look at the reason," Key said. "I always thought this as a pundit; if there's logic behind what they're doing to some degree, then fine, I can understand why people are doing it.

"There was no logic to me when England in the World Cup in 2015, dropped Alastair Cook and then brought in Gary Ballance. There's no part of me that can understand why you would do that.

"But there's part of me that can understand with Broad and Anderson away from home, getting on a bit as well when you wanted to try and find out about other people. I can understand that. It doesn't mean that I would have done it – but I've shown now that they've come back."

Suryakumar Yadav has been ruled out of the remainder of the Indian Premier League season with a left forearm injury.

Mumbai Indians confirmed Suryakumar would miss the final four games of the campaign prior to Monday's clash with Kolkata Knight Riders.

Suryakumar has enjoyed a fine season in a poor campaign for Mumbai, scoring 303 runs at an average of 43.28 - including three half-centuries.

But with bottom-of-the-table Mumbai already out of contention having won just two of their 10 games, the news is likely to be of greater concern to India ahead of next month's T20 International series with South Africa.

A brief statement on Mumbai's Twitter account read: "Suryakumar Yadav has sustained a muscle strain on his left forearm, and has been ruled out for the season.

"He has been advised rest, in consultation with the BCCI medical team."

Suryakumar has featured in 14 T20Is for India, scoring three half-centuries and averaging 39.

His 31-ball 65, which featured seven sixes, saw him named player of the series in February when India secured a 3-0 whitewash of West Indies.

India host South Africa for five T20Is next month, the series opener taking place in Delhi on June 9.

Netherlands head coach and former Australia ODI wicketkeeper Ryan Campbell has been discharged from hospital and is expected to soon return to the Dutch side.

Campbell suffered a cardiac arrest in England last month when visiting after the Netherlands' tour of New Zealand.

He has only recently been removed from an induced coma by doctors with no signs of any brain damage, and follow-up tests led to the conclusion a heart attack did not cause the cardiac arrest.

The 50-year-old is expected to re-join the Netherlands camp ahead of their three-match ODI series against West Indies, which starts on May 31, before Eoin Morgan's England visit for three 50-over games in June.

Campbell, who was appointed as the Netherlands coach in 2017 after playing for both Australia and Hong Kong at an international level, was quick to pay tribute to the medical staff who looked after him.

"I want to take this opportunity to thank the amazing doctors and nurses at the Royal Stoke Hospital critical care unit for their incredible professionalism, kindness and compassion," he said. 

"I also want to thank Beci Bassett, a parent at the adventure playground in Cheshire who immediately administered CPR. Her courage and quick intervention quite simply saved my life.

"My wife Leontina was at my bedside hour after hour and kept our families informed of my progress. She dealt bravely with every development thrown her way. LT, I thank you and love you.

"LT was joined early on by my great mate Simon Millington, who flew out from Nevada to be there for her and her family and assisted them throughout the ordeal. For this, I will be eternally grateful.

"Finally, I want to say a big thank you to all my well-wishers from around the world. The amount of messages of love and support my family and I received was extremely humbling."

Devon Conway smashed a third consecutive half-century to set up a crushing 91-run Indian Premier League win for Chennai Super Kings over Delhi Capitals.

Fifth-placed Delhi missed a chance to move two points behind Royal Challengers Bangalore and Rajasthan Royals at DY Patil Stadium, where CSK registered only a fourth win of the tournament.

Conway blasted 87 off 49 balls with support from Ruturaj Gaikwad (41) and Shivam Dube (32) as the Super Kings racked up 208-6 after Rishabh Pant won the toss and put them in.

The Capitals were all out for 117 in reply, Moeen Ali claiming brilliant figures of 3-13 from four overs in a one-sided contest on Sunday.

New Zealand opener Conway and Gaikwad got CSK off to an excellent start, taking them to 57 without loss at the end of the powerplay.

Anrich Nortje (3-42) ended an opening stand of 110 when he dismissed Gaikwad with the last ball of the 11th over, but Dube was dropped by Axar Patel on 14 during a partnership of 59 with the prolific Conway.

Khaleel Ahmed, the pick of the bowlers with 2-28, denied Conway a century when he had the left-hander caught behind by Pant before MS Dhoni added a quickfire unbeaten 21.

Delhi – without Prithvi Shaw after he was hospitalised with a virus – lost openers Srikar Bharat and David Warner early in their reply before Mitchell Marsh, who top scored with 25, and Pant (21) got starts but failed to push on.

Moeen saw the back of that dangerous duo in quick succession and the wickets continued to tumble, with Delhi all out in the 18th over.

Conway making hay at the top of the order

Conway only needed 27 balls to reach his latest half-century, hitting five sixes and seven fours in a scintillating knock.

He has scored 231 runs from four innings, averaging a mammoth 77.

Masterful Moeen puts Delhi in a spin

England all-rounder Moeen not only took three wickets, but also bowled 16 dot balls in a fine display of spin bowling.

Moeen conceded just one boundary (a six) as CSK dominated with bat and ball.

Royal Challengers Bangalore secured a routine victory against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday, with captain Faf du Plessis and Wanindu Hasaranga playing a big part.

The South African batted through his team's 20 overs, scoring 73 from 50 balls as RCB set their opponents a target of 193.

Opposite number Kane Williamson marched back to the pavilion without facing a ball, which set the tone as Sunrisers were bowled all out for 125, with Hasaranga taking 5-18.

Having won five of their first seven matches this season, Sunrisers have now lost their last four outings.

Things could not have started better for them as Jagadeesha Suchith claimed the wicket of Virat Kohli with the first ball of the match, but Du Plessis and Rajat Patidar (48) put on a partnership of 105 to rescue the innings.

Glenn Maxwell's 33 helped RCB tick along, before Dinesh Karthik came in with some fireworks at the end of the innings, hitting 30 from just eight balls, including three sixes and a four from the final four balls.

It was a disastrous start for Sunrisers, with Williamson run out without facing a ball, before fellow opener Abhishek Sharma was also dismissed without scoring by Maxwell.

Rahul Tripathi's 58 from 37 balls was the only real fight put up by Sunrisers, with Aiden Markram (21) and Nicholas Pooran (19) the only other batsmen to make double figures.

Hasaranga and Josh Hazlewood's economical bowling ensured there was never a question of who was going to win here, and Harshal Patel wrapped up the 67-run victory after dismissing Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

A captain's innings

Karthik may get some headlines after his explosive efforts in the final over, but Du Plessis was the spine of his team's innings, playing the entire 20 overs and setting the table for the win with his eight fours and two sixes.

Hasaranga and Hazlewood shine

Hasaranga was deadly with his four overs, taking out the middle order with exceptional ruthlessness, while Hazlewood was even more economical with his 2-17 from four overs.

It could have been even better for the Australian, who conceded seven of those runs in his final over to a nothing-to-lose attitude from 11th wicket partnership, Kumar and Fazalhaq Farooqi.