A true knight! The side of Brendon McCullum that you may not have seen

Former New Zealand captain and legend Brendon McCullum celebrated his 39th birthday on September 27, 2020. McCullum was a force to reckon with during his cricket career and a nightmare to bowlers. Today we take a look at his cricket career as well as look at his personal life a a glimpse. Pictures Courtesy/ Brendon McCullum Instagram.

Updated On: 2020-09-28 09:40 AM IST

Brendon McCullum, born September 27, 1981, is a former New Zealand cricketer who also captained the national side and is known as one of the finest batsmen and successful captains in New Zealand.

Brendon McCullum married his longtime lover Ellissa in 2003. The couple have 3 children together - a son, Riley, and two daughters.

Brendon McCullum made his Test debut in March 2004 and since played 101 Tests scoring 6,453 runs  at an average of 38.64. 

Brendon McCullum has 12 Test hundreds and 31 fifties to his name. His top score is 302 against India.

Brendon McCullum's 302 against India set a record as he became the first New Zealand cricketer to score a triple century in Tests. 

Brendon McCullum is also the first New Zealand cricketer to score 1000 Test runs in a calendar year. He scored 1164 runs in 2014.

Brendon McCullum also holds the record for the fastest ever Test hundred (54 balls). He went on to score 145 off 79 deliveries.

Brendon McCullum made his ODI debut in January 2002 and  went on to play 260 ODIs for New Zealand scoring 6,083 runs at an average of 30.41. Brendon McCullum has scored 5 ODI centuries and 32 fifties with a top score of 166.

Making his debut in February 2005, Brendon McCullum played 71 T20Is scoring 2,140 runs at an average of 35.66. He has two centuries and 13 fifties with a top score of 123.

Brendon McCullum is only the second player after Chris Gayle to reach 9000 runs in T20s. He is also the first player to reach 1000 runs in T20Is and first to ever score 2 centuries in T20Is. He is also the former leading run scorer and current second leading run scorer for New Zealand in T20Is.

Brendon McCullum  has played for various leagues and a huge list of franchises in domestic cricket - Kolkata Knight Riders, Chennai Super Kings, Kochi Tuskers Kerala, Gujarat Lions, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Otago, Canterbury, Glamorgan, New South Wales, Sussex, Brisbane Heat, Warwickshire, Middlesex, Lahore Qalandars, MCC, Rangpur Riders and Kandahar Knights.

In the first-ever match at the IPL in 2008, Brendon McCullum scored a blistering 158* runs in the KKR vs RCB match and set a record for the highest ever IPL and T20 score - a record which stood for 5 years until Chris Gayle broke it with his 175.

Brendon McCullum's innings of 158 is also the third-highest individual score in all T20 cricket.

Brendon McCullum is regarded as one of New Zealand's finest captains ever and the first to have led the team to the ICC World Cup finals in 2015.

In his farewell Test, Brendon McCullum became the first captain to score a century in his farewell Test. In February 2016, Brendon McCullum retired from all forms of international cricket leaving a legacy that will be remembered forever.

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