The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has chosen not to comment on recent reports suggesting that Andrew Flintoff will not continue his work with the England cricket team ahead of the upcoming T20I and ODI series against Australia.
The former England captain and renowned all-rounder, who has been involved with the team over the past year, was seen as a possible successor to Matthew Mott, the recently departed white-ball head coach.
A report from the Daily Telegraph claims that Flintoff’s short-term consultancy role with the senior men’s team will not be extended.
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The decision is said to be influenced by a lack of chemistry between Flintoff and England’s white-ball captain, Jos Butler, during the T20 World Cup in June. When asked about the report, the ECB offered no comment, according to Sky Sports News.
Flintoff, a key figure in England’s 2005 Ashes victory, started his recent involvement with the national setup last year, initially focusing on scouting and working with age-group teams.
By September, he had taken on a more prominent role, joining the senior white-ball team’s coaching staff on a consultancy basis.
During this period, Flintoff contributed as an assistant coach when England reached the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup held in the West Indies and USA.
His commitment to coaching was further highlighted by his appointment as head coach of the Northern Superchargers men’s team for The Hundred, where his team performed admirably, securing five wins and narrowly missing out on the play-offs.
Flintoff was also reportedly viewed as a potential future head coach for the England team by Rob Key, the ECB’s managing director.
However, recent developments suggest that interim white-ball head coach Marcus Trescothick, a former England opener, will have the opportunity to select his own coaching staff for the upcoming series against Australia.
This move could mark the end of Flintoff’s current association with the England team, at least for the foreseeable future.
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(With inputs from ANI)
