Andrew Flintoff is emerging as the favourite to become England’s new white-ball coach after former captain Eoin Morgan distanced himself from the position this week.
With Matthew Mott, the incumbent, expected to leave his post imminently, Rob Key, England’s director of cricket, is understood to have identified 2019 World Cup winning-captain Morgan as the ideal man to take over.
Yet Morgan has publicly rebuffed those links, admitting “the timing is not right” chiefly because he has a young family and is enjoying his current job as an analyst with Sky Sports.
Key is undertaking a review into England’s white-ball teams after the underwhelming run to the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean last month saw them lose both their world titles in a matter of months following last autumn’s first-round exit from the 50-over tournament in India.
i understands the next stage of that will see Key speak to both Mott and captain Jos Buttler this week, although it is thought the Australian coach is already resigned to losing his job halfway through a four-year contract.
Any announcement on the futures of both men could come as early as this week, although it is more likely to come early next month in between England’s Test series against the West Indies and Sri Lanka.
Flintoff, encouraged to return to cricket by close friend Key last summer after his life-threatening car accident in December 2022, is now thought to be close to the top of the list of replacements for Mott after spending time with England’s white-ball teams as a consultant.
Mike Hussey, the former Australia international who was part of England’s coaching staff when they won the T20 World Cup in 2022, is believed to be another name in the frame.
Flintoff has been handed his first head coaching role with Northern Superchargers in this year’s Hundred and after positive feedback from England’s players it is seen as a possible stepping stone to the top job.
Speaking this week, Stuart Broad admitted: “The players I’ve spoken to, when Freddie (Flintoff) has been involved in the coaching stuff, have loved him.
“For him to go into a changing room and hear him speak about the style he wants them to play is really exciting. Ultimately, he has ended up as one of the coaches of The Hundred franchises, I’m sure with half an eye on building him towards being an international coach in the future.”
With Buttler also expected to leave his position, Key will probably have to appoint an interim option anyway as the captain is likely to be injured for September’s one-day and T20 home series.
One option would be to appoint Moeen Ali, the current vice-captain, for those two series and the November tour of the West Indies.
However, a younger interim such as Sam Curran might be preferable.
For the Champions Trophy in Pakistan next February and March, choosing a new captain would be more complicated.
Harry Brook could feasibly be handed the white-ball job ahead of that tournament with the caveat that he might have to miss several series in the run-up to the Ashes in Australia that starts in November 2025.
Another option would be to appoint Joe Root, an experienced former England captain, just for the Champions Trophy with Brook taking on the top job after the Ashes.