Former England middle-order batter Paul Collingwood could be appointed national team’s head coach on an interim basis following the sacking of Chris Silverwood. As per a report in the Daily Mail, Collingwood is all set to be named the team’s temporary head of the support staff as England identify Silverwood’s long-term successor.
Collingwood has been the acting assistant coach to Silverwood for a while now and has been overseeing white-ball assignments on an interim basis, with the Three Lions opting to create separate squads to manage bubble fatigue amid the pandemic times.
He went with England’s T20I squad – missing the Ashes stars – for the recently concluded series in the Caribbean in the absence of Silverwood, whose stay at the helm of affairs was being reconsidered by England and Wales Cricket Board following the disastrous 4-0 hammering Down Under.
As the process to identify Silverwood’s full-time replacement is put in place, the team’s interim managing director Andrew Strauss is expected to appoint his former teammate Collingwood as the man on job for a short-term period, including next month’s Test series against the West Indies.
Upon confirming Silverwood’s departure, the board had announced that appointments of the coaching staff will be made as per “interim arrangements” with the three-Test series in the Caribbean in mind.
Beyond that, England are expected to have a long-term coaching staff in place for the start of the home summer where they face New Zealand, India and South Africa.
While Silverwood would have been disappointed to be made one of the scapegoats of the Ashes drubbings, he said it was an “absolute honour” to be the head coach of the side and thanked every individual involved for their “hard work and commitment”.
“It’s been an absolute honour to be England Head Coach, and I’m extremely proud to have worked alongside our players and staff.
I want to thank them all for the hard work and commitment they have given during my time in the role and I wish them all the very best moving forward,”
the 46-year-old was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
