The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has confirmed it has shortlisted nine candidates for the post of Test head coach following Brendon McCullum’s recent exit from the position.
McCullum was at the hot seat for only four years before his sacking after England registered their worst-ever Test series defeat. The ECB is now looking to appoint a new coach for red-ball cricket, and as per the Daily Mail report, the nine candidates on the shortlist are considered to be the best minds in the game. The list includes former captains, World Cup-winning coaches, and seasoned mentors from across the globe.
Andy Flower leads a star-studded shortlist
Former England coach Andy Flower is said to be the first choice of the ECB. The 58-year-old is currently managing Royal Challengers Bangalore in the ongoing IPL. Flower is well known for his successful tenure as England coach. However, he is said to be unsure about managing the national team again. The former coach is said to be enjoying his stint in the franchise league and does not want to return to the ‘political’ environment of England coaching.
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Ex-Australia coach Justin Langer is the other name at the top of the ECB’s shortlist. England’s managing director, Rob Key, is said to have approached Langer in 2022 for the post of England coach. However, the offer was rejected by Langer as he was managing Australia at the time.
At that time, it was also reported that the ECB was not entirely comfortable with Langer’s aggressive style of coaching. However, the situation is said to have changed now with the ECB being more open to appointing a coach with a ‘stern approach.’
The other name that features in the ECB’s shortlist is Australia coach Tom Moody. Moody, who is currently the Global Director of Cricket for Lucknow Super Giants, has been managing the Baggies for the past two years. The other name that has been shortlisted is Kumar Sangakkara, the former Sri Lankan international and current head coach of Rajasthan Royals.
Kiwi coaches back in contention
New Zealand has two representatives in the ECB’s shortlist, with Stephen Fleming being one of them. The former New Zealand captain and coach has been approached by the ECB for the post of England coach. However, he has turned down the offer because he was tied to the IPL. However, with his stint with the IPL coming to an end, England might try to rope him in again. Stephen Fleming has previously managed the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL.
The other Kiwi coach that has been shortlisted is Pakistan’s head coach, Mike Hesson. It has been reported that the Pakistan Cricket Board is not very happy with Mike Hesson’s name being linked with the England coach post.
Despite the long and storied history of English cricket, only two Englishmen have made the shortlist for the job. Jonathan Trott, who has recently taken up a post as a consultant coach with Ireland, is still in the running despite his new role. The other English candidate is former spinner Richard Dawson, who had served as a coach for the England under-19s and was also the head coach of the England women’s team.
Although former India head coach Rahul Dravid has been strongly linked with the job, he is not believed to be on the shortlist. Dravid has also stated that he is not interested in taking up another full-time coaching assignment. The same goes for Andrew Flintoff, who has been working with the England Lions but is not viewed by the ECB as the right man to take charge of the senior team.
With the wealth of quality candidates available, the ECB is now faced with the challenge of making one of the most high-profile appointments in recent years.
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