Brendon McCullum has opened up on his cricket philosophy, the lessons he’s learned throughout his career and what went wrong in the World Cup final in a revealing interview ahead of the Black Caps’ five-match, one-day international series against England starting tomorrow (Tuesday (GMT).

The ODI series comes on the back of the enthralling 1-1 Test series draw earlier this month.

The last time these two sides met in the one-day arena was in February in Wellington during the World Cup where Tim Southee’s seven wickets skittled England for 123 before McCullum blasted 77 from 25 balls to secure a crushing eight-wicket win with 226 balls remaining.

Looking back at that match, McCullum says he could feel the pressure surrounding the embattled England camp.

“Sitting there having a beer with Tim (Southee) and Trent (Boult) about two days out, we just talked about how the England boys were copping it from all you fellas (English media),” McCullum told The Telegraph UK, in a wide-ranging interview.

“Then the conversation grew, and it was like: ‘Jeez, it’s like they’re two down already.’

“So we said: ‘Well, if we had them two down, what would we do? We’d have four slips. Well, let’s put four slips in and make them feel like that anyway.’

“And Tim (7-33) bowled one of the best spells I’ve seen in one-day cricket.”

Before the New Zealand thrashing, the other co-host and eventual World Cup champion Australian team had also inflicted a heavy loss on England at the MCG.

England eventually needed to win their final pool match to advance to the knockout round of the tournament, but they were unable to overpower an enthusiastic and driven Bangladesh in Adelaide.

New Zealand, however, marched all the way to the final in Melbourne.

But just as McCullum’s swashbuckling bravado against England had set the tournament tempo and personified New Zealand’s attacking mentality it is now known for, a Mitchell Starc yorker three balls into the 50-over game’s showpiece event ended his innings and arguably his side’s hopes of lifting the prized trophy for the first time.

Reflecting on his dismissal, McCullum was succinct with his analysis.

“I was sat in the changing room afterwards and I almost laughed to myself,” McCullum said.

“I actually forgot to watch the ball. The most basic element of cricket.

“Those are the lessons that this game can teach you.”

Mitchell Starc celebrating the prize scalp of McCullum in the World Cup final // Getty Images

But McCullum has a new look on life and cricket.

Always a gifted ball-striker and natural behind the stumps, McCullum’s star shot through ozone layer and beyond when he bashed 158 for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the first-ever match of the Indian Premier League in 2008.

Reproducing such a knock, one which has only been bettered by Chris Gayle’s mesmerising unbeaten 175 in 2013, was always going to be next to impossible.

“It probably took me two years to recover from that, because of the expectations which were then placed on you,” he said.

“I was probably quite young and not quite the right character to understand that.

“When you have a good day, people can certainly pump you right up over there.

“Conversely, when you have a bad day you can be sitting a lot further back in the plane.

“The game has its own variances. You have to pretty emotionally stable to deal with them.”

The IPL, apart from international exposure and the lucrative salary he commands, has given him something money can’t buy; friendships.

So, it’s with a touch of irony that McCullum’s foe in Wellington in the World Cup hammering and for the next five ODIs will be one of his best friends he met while wearing the gold and purple of the Knight Riders - England captain Morgan.

“That’s what the game is all about. When you’ve finished with your runs and wickets, the relationships are still there,” said McCullum.

“I know, in 10 or 15 years, I’ll still be able to catch up with Morgs and a pint of Guinness somewhere.”

Morgan (R) and McCullum before their World Cup match in February // Getty Images

But McCullum’s relaxed attitude, New Zealand’s offensive mindset and the ensuing improvement of New Zealand didn’t all happen at once.

After New Zealand were humbled for 45 by South Africa in 2013, McCullum and coach Mike Hesson got together and formulated a new culture that was based on your character as person as much as it was your ability with bat or ball in hand.

“That’s an important shift we’ve made,” McCullum said.

“This group of guys, you’d call them some of them your best mates.

“You’d be happy to introduce them to anyone of significance, because they’re such good people.

“We try and do our best out on the field, but there’s a way you can carry yourself as well, and that’s what we’ve seen shift.”

And to McCullum and his men, cricket is now, and shall remain, a game that’s centred around having fun.

“Cricket is so insignificant in the grand scheme of life,” he said.

“But yet you still want to try so hard. So it’s about understanding or capturing that element.

“If you get out, it’s not the end of the world.

“But jeez, you can have some fun, if you put your heart and soul into it.”