The names who could revolutionise the England cricket Test team
There’s less than a month until England walk out at Lord’s to play their first Test match of the Ben Stokes era. But with a matter of weeks until England’s packed summer schedule, they’re still without a head coach.
Following the departure of Chris Silverwood and resignation of Joe Root, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) have managed only to fill the latter’s captaincy slot.
Interviews for the position commenced this week and the announcement of the successful candidate could come on Monday. Here are the five men leading the race for the Test spot.
Gary Kirsten
South African Gary Kirsten is seen as the favourite for the vacancy. The 54-year-old has held talks with the ECB’s manager of men’s cricket Rob Key in recent weeks and is understood to have been recruiting people to fill new vacancies at his cricket academy in his native South Africa.
Kirsten has coached internationally with India and South Africa while also having experience with three Indian Premier League sides, the latest being the Gujarat Titans.
Key has said he’d rather have the best coach for 10 months of the year than someone else for 12 – suggesting the new England coach will be able to combine his role with Stokes’s side and franchise cricket work.
This, combined with Kirsten’s experience of winning the 2011 World Cup, could make the former opener Key’s preferred candidate.
Brendon McCullum
Kiwi Brendon McCullum has emerged as a contender to be the new Test coach.
The 40-year-old was thought of as a potential white-ball coach but his name has been thrown into the hat for the five-day job, too.
He has experience in winning short-form competitions, including the Caribbean Premier League, but will be a real gamble for the ECB.
That said, he will no doubt have a similar view on the game as Ben Stokes and the duo could work well in tandem.
Simon Katich
Australian Simon Katich was initially due to take part in this year’s Indian Premier League but fell out with Sunrisers Hyderabad.
The former Derbyshire captain has experience in the county game which could come in key if the ECB chooses to change the way it selects teams.
Katich has extensive experience across the world’s cricketing hotbeds – including India, England, Australia and Bangladesh – and will provide knowledge of required attributes on each surface.
His lack of experience coaching international or long-form cricket, however, could count against the Australian.
Graham Ford
Leaving a four-year spell with Ireland in November, Graham Ford is a surprise candidate for the role.
He worked closely with Key at Kent when the South African was director of cricket. Key has described Ford as “a great coach to work with”.
This personal affection could be valuable for England at a time where they need unity to move forward from such a poor run of results.
Though Ford didn’t revolutionise the Irish side, he was in charge when they scared England by getting them all out for 85 in a four-day Test at Lord’s in 2019.
Jason Gillespie
Australian Jason Gillespie has county experience with Sussex and Yorkshire and international pedigree with multiple lower level sides.
He emerged as a shining light in the Azeem Rafiq racism scandal, with the player calling Gillespie “amazing”.
Seemingly popular, Gillespie would provide a fresh start for an ECB organisation dogged by off-field issues.
His love for county cricket could work wonders for Stokes, who will want to see some fresh talent develop under his tenure.
It appears, then, that in all likelihood the next England head coach will be from the Southern Hemisphere. In a period where England simply need to start winning, it will be a tough gig for whomever gets the seemingly poisoned chalice.