Rob Key, England’s director of men’s cricket, has backed white-ball coach Matthew Mott to turn things around after he oversaw a shambolic World Cup campaign in India.
The defending champions flew home on Sunday after crashing out in the group stage having gone into the tournament as second favourites behind the hosts.
After losing six of their first seven matches, including five humiliating losses in a row, Jos Buttler’s men produced perhaps the worst World Cup performance by any England team in history.
Buttler has also been backed to stay as captain – a logical decision given his standing among the players and the fact he is England’s greatest white-ball batter.
However, Mott can count himself lucky following a campaign in which his authority in the dressing-room diminished amid harsh criticism from 2019 World Cup-winning captain Eoin Morgan, who accused the Australian of shirking his responsibilities after fielding coach Carl Hopkinson was wheeled out to face the media ahead of England’s penultimate game against the Netherlands.
Key has intimated Mott will have his backing until the end of next summer’s T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and the USA.
After saying he thinks this calamity in India will be the making of Mott and Buttler’s partnership, Key added: “If it isn’t, it isn’t and you move on.”
So, with Mott’s future resting on significant improvements over the next few months, who might be the contenders to take over from him if the worst came to the worst?
There is no shortage of talented candidates from home and abroad. Here’s the pick…
Eoin Morgan
England’s 2019 World Cup-winning captain called talk of him taking over from Mott “a bit far-fetched” during the tournament. But would there be a better candidate given how he turned around the team’s fortunes after their first-round exit at the 2015 World Cup? He only retired from playing 18 months ago but it is his template that turned England into double world champions. He would certainly have instant respect. Maybe it’s too soon but could another calamity at the T20 World Cup next summer tempt him?
Jonathan Trott
The former England battter has worked wonders with Afghanistan. They came into this tournament with just one World Cup win to their name but produced a string of fine performances, including shocking England in Delhi, to push themselves to the brink of the semi-finals. Still relatively inexperienced as a coach, but his stock has risen rapidly during this tournament and he is on record saying he would love to coach England one day.
James Foster
The former Essex and England wicketkeeper is one of the rising stars of the white-ball coaching world. Is current head coach at Northern Superchargers in the Hundred and assistant coach at Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League. He has also been a regular in the England set-up as a consultant, including during the 2021-22 Ashes in Australia and the 2021 T20 World Cup in the UAE.
Paul Farbrace
The man who started the white-ball revolution in 2015 when he took charge of the first ODI series against New Zealand after that World Cup. Assistant coach to Trevor Bayliss for many years, including the triumphant 2019 World Cup campaign, he also has significant international experience having coached Sri Lanka, who he led to glory in the 2014 T20 World Cup. He is currently in charge at Sussex but wouldn’t be the worst pick if you were looking for an experienced homegrown candidate.
Simon Katich
Has a vast and varied white-ball coaching CV. Current coach of MI Indians in the SA T20 league having previously been assistant at Kolkata Knight Riders and head coach at Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL. He’s also head coach at Manchester Originals in the Hundred and was a contender for the England job before Mott was appointed. The former Australia international, who played 104 times for his country, is highly regarded.
Daniel Vettori
Currently an assistant coach with Australia, Vettori would be an interesting choice given he could form a Kiwi double act with England’s Test supremo and former New Zealand team-mate Brendon McCullum. His extensive experience as a head coach in the IPL is a big plus. Currently in charge of Sunrisers Hyderabad, where has worked with England stars Harry Brook and Adil Rashid, and his standing in the international game makes him an interesting choice.
