Brendon McCullum vows to track down person responsible for brother's false death report

Brendon McCullum and Nathan McCullum. Photo / Getty Images.

Brendon McCullum has vowed to track down the person who falsely claimed his brother and ex-New Zealand all-rounder Nathan McCullum had died.

A report claiming the elder McCullum brother had died was rubbished by the 38-year-old on Twitter as he uploaded a photo and declared himself "alive and kicking more than ever before".

I am alive and kicking more than ever before. Not sure where this news has come from but this is fake. Love you all. pic.twitter.com/WZ1nuX4LUo

— Nathan McCullum (@MccullumNathan) December 1, 2018

The false report reached former Black Caps captain Brendon McCullum as he was flying back to New Zealand having competed in the T10 League in the United Arab Emirates.

He also dismissed the erroneous rumour regarding his brother on social media and promised to find the person who spread it.

"Tonight someone decided, via social media, to release that my brother passed away," Brendon McCullum wrote.

"I'm on a flight back to New Zealand and my heart broke! None of it is true! Whoever put this out there, I'll find you! Somewhere, somehow."

Tonight someone decided, via social media to release that my brother passed away! Im on a flight back to NZ and my heart broke! None of it is true! Whoever put this out there, I’ll find you! Somewhere, somehow.

— Brendon McCullum (@Bazmccullum) December 1, 2018

NZ Players Association chief executive Heath Mills said he had been contacted from cricketers in India who had heard the false reports.

He called McCullum himself to check.

"I have to say, my heart was racing before he picked up," Mills said.

He said McCullum was "very much alive" and had spent the day at a bowls event in Auckland.

McCullum, 38, is brother of former Black Caps captain Brendon McCullum. He retired from international cricket in 2016.

Someone on Facebook shared a post that Nathan McCullum has died and I got really sad. But then suspicious because there’s nothing on twitter about it 🤔🤔🤔

— Lisa Potts (@leaseM_87) December 1, 2018

The most bizarre thing to happen tonight - hoax tweets about the purported death of Nathan McCullum. Like WTF? pic.twitter.com/TKeAZqkdfh

— Andrew Mitchell (@AFunkyNZL) December 1, 2018