Giles handed limited overs role as England prune Flower duties
FORMER England captain Nasser Hussain has welcomed the appointment of Warwickshire chief Ashley Giles as one-day international and Twenty20 head coach, but insists talk of him succeeding Andy Flower is premature.
Giles will take charge for England’s January ODI campaign in India, which follow the current Test series, leaving Flower to concentrate on the five-day format and in particular looming back-to-back Ashes series.
“Ashley ticks every box,” said Hussain. “He’s been very successful with Warwickshire as a coach, he’s played for England, he’s been involved as a selector and been involved in the set-up of English cricket now for 15 years.
“I don’t think that they were sitting there thinking ‘Who is going to replace Andy Flower?’ I think they are thinking ‘We have a good man in Flower, we have two Ashes series home and away coming up and we need him full of energy for that’.”
Former England off-spinner Giles, 39, has left Warwickshire with immediate effect, having led them to the County Championship in September, and will report to Flower. His first task will be the five-match one-day series in India, beginning on 11 January, followed by T20 and ODI series away and at home against New Zealand, and the 50-over Champions Trophy in England next summer.
Batsman Kevin Pietersen is back in the ODI squad for the first time since last winter. He will play in the India series but has been rested for the two T20 matches on the subcontinent before Christmas.
ENGLAND SQUADS
■ T20: S Broad; J Bairstow; T Bresnan; D Briggs; J Buttler; J Dernbach; A Hales; M Lumb; S Meaker; E Morgan; S Patel; J Tredwell; L Wright
■ ODI: A Cook; J Bairstow; I Bell; T Bresnan; D Briggs; J Dernbach; S Finn;
C Kieswetter; S Meaker; E Morgan; S Patel; K Pietersen; J Tredwell; J Trott;
J Anderson (first three matches only); S Broad (last two only)