England’s next white-ball coach: Andy Flower ‘the outstanding candidate’, says Michael Atherton | Cricket News

Former England head coach Andy Flower is “the outstanding candidate” to take charge of the white-ball team, according to Sky Sports’ Michael Atherton.

Reacting to the news that Matthew Mott had stepped down from the role on the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast, Atherton and Nasser Hussain discussed the potential candidates who could take over, including current favourite Andrew Flintoff, the likelihood that Brendon McCullum could combine with leading the Test team and the possible return of Flower.

Both Atherton and Hussain were in favour of a comeback for Flower following his time in charge of the national team from 2009 to 2014, which included three Ashes series wins and a first T20 World Cup triumph in 2010.

‘Got the sense things weren’t working with Mott’

Hussain: “My first reaction is it’s a bit of a shame, but not unexpected. Ultimately you’re judged by results.

“Results started very well, on the back of continuing the Eoin Morgan/Trevor Bayliss era… they had that immediate success, winning the T20 World Cup in 2022.

“But since then, it’s gone completely in the other direction. The 50-over World Cup [in 2023] was a poor, poor performance, it really was. They were so far off the mark, in terms of results and decision-making.

Atherton: “I concur with that. The last two World Cups haven’t been good. But he goes away as one of only three head coaches to have won a World Cup with England.

“It’s not a completely disappointing two years but the last two World Cups you got the sense that things weren’t quite working.”

Is it the right time for Flintoff to take over?

Hussain: “It may come slightly early for Andrew. You may argue what is on his CV to get the job?

“That said, I’m not sure the present regime worry too much about CVs… they just do what they feel is the best for the future.

“He obviously has close links with Rob Key and he knows the dressing room, and has been around England Lions camps.”

Who are the other leading contenders?

Atherton: “Kumar Sangakkara is near the top of the list. He has worked with Jos [Buttler] of course at the Rajasthan Royals [in the IPL].

“There’s Eoin Morgan, and although he seemed to rule himself out the other day on commentary, I’ve got no doubt his name will be floated around.

“There’s the two Australians held in high regard: Michael Hussey, who worked with England when they won the T20 World Cup in Australia a couple of years ago, and Simon Katich, who is coaching the Manchester Originals in The Hundred.

“There’s Jonathan Trott, who has had a fantastic run in charge of Afghanistan. People speak very highly of James Foster, your old colleague and team-mate at Essex and, for me, the outstanding candidate would be Andy Flower.”

Should England bring back former head coach Flower?

Hussain: “If you’re asking me if Andy Flower was available and wanted to do it, he would be my personal favourite. But is that a backwards step?”

Atherton: “It’s an interesting one. The broad brush rule of life is not to retrace your steps but it’s a very different time to when Andy was previously in charge of both Test and white-ball teams.

“He has since gone on to have terrific success in franchise cricket… the role now is almost like leading a franchise, because players come in for a short period and then disappear.

“One of the problems for Mott was that there were long periods where the team was not in operation.”

Could McCullum lead Test and white-ball sides?

Hussain: “I don’t think it’s the right thing to do. It has worked for other nations… for India, Rahul Dravid did it very well, but I don’t think McCullum or others would want it [both jobs].

“Coaches are quite happy having some time to themselves, and have the ability to do some work in the IPL maybe – though whether an England coach could do that at the same time, I don’t know?”

Atherton: “Before the jobs were given to McCullum and Mott, it was one person doing it all, Chris Silverwood.

“I’m a big believer that, with the international schedule as it is now, that is almost impossible, that you have to split the roles.”

England are next in action in a three-Test series against Sri Lanka that gets under way at Old Trafford in Manchester on Wednesday August 21. Watch live on Sky Sports Cricket from 10am (first ball bowled at 11am).

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