Brendon McCullum wants T20Is to be restricted to World Cups

Former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum only wants T20s to be played at World Cups in the international stage, reports Daily Mirror. McCullum, who is currently playing in the Caribbean Premier League for Trinbago Knight Riders also admitted you can't just be a "gun-for-hire" and hope to succeed.

The 34-year-old was speaking with former England all-rounder Ian Botham about the state of cricket currently and how the World Cup raised the platform of cricket in New Zealand. The pair were talking about the merits of the different formats of the game.

Ian Botham said: “I think the last World Cup really put 50-over cricket back on the map. Test cricket is king in my eyes, and T20 is the icing on the cake, not the main event.

McCullum, who is the all-time leading run-scorer in T20Is, was quick to agree with the legendary English all-rounder.

"I'd go so far as to say perhaps T20 cricket should only be played at World Cups internationally and then the rest in club competitions around the world," said McCullum. "Test cricket as the pinnacle is something we try to instil in New Zealand. The T20 leagues are a result of the hard work you’ve put into international cricket and I think some people lose sight of that sometimes."

McCullum has already played for four different clubs in 2016, for Brisbane Heat in the Big Bash League, the Gujarat Lions in the IPL, Middlesex in England and now the Trinbago Knight Riders in the ongoing CPL. Yet, he admits that playing for short period of time and making a significant impact is difficult.

Before he scored a 57-ball 87 for Middlesex in his final T20 match for the club, his previous four innings read 6, 16, 16 and 7.

"It has been interesting coming over (to England) because it has confirmed to me that you can't just be a 'gun-for-hire'," he said. "You can't make a proper impact in two weeks, you need to be with the team for a longer period of time, immerse yourself in the competition totally and the culture of the club."

“If you bring guys in for a couple of weeks to boost the profile, I don’t think it helps anyone. I’m working with Middlesex to see how we can make it work for longer, for three or four years to immerse myself with them, so that becomes your club.”