Cricket

England's interim head coach Marcus Trescothick has paved the way for the new era of white-ball cricket under Brendon McCullum. Trescothick's tenure has been marked by a focus on blending winning with player development, which has resulted in a successful tour of the Caribbean.The tour has witnessed the emergence of several young players, including Jacob Bethell, who has impressed with his batting prowess. Bethell's performances have earned him a spot as the reserve batter on England's tour of New Zealand. Saqib Mahmood has also cemented his place in the team with his exceptional bowling performances.Captain Jos Buttler has returned to form and is eager to mold a team in his image. The appointment of McCullum will provide Buttler with the opportunity to start afresh with a new group of players.The question of whether Ben Stokes and Joe Root will return to the ODI side remains unanswered. Their experience would be valuable, but their inclusion could hinder the development of younger players.Trescothick believes that the team is in a good position for McCullum to take over. The tour of the Caribbean has provided valuable experience for the young players and has given Buttler the opportunity to find his feet as captain.

Marcus Trescothick, England's batting coach, has expressed concerns over the lack of domestic 50-over cricket, which he believes is hindering the development of the team's young white-ball players.England's recent ODI series defeat in Barbados marked their third consecutive loss since the 2023 World Cup, with the team fielding a largely inexperienced lineup due to the overlap with Test commitments. Several key players were absent, including Jordan Cox and Rehan Ahmed, who were the only members of the Pakistan tour group to feature in the Caribbean.Trescothick emphasized the importance of domestic 50-over cricket in providing players with the necessary experience and understanding of the game. However, he acknowledged the challenges posed by the current structure, which sees the One-Day Cup clashing with the Hundred."It's not helping because you're not getting the volume of games that players would like to get and really build an understanding of the game," Trescothick said. "But you kind of know why that is and that is the structure we're given to play, and we'll make a fist of it and make it work as much as we can."Phil Salt, who scored 74 in the final ODI, echoed Trescothick's sentiments, calling for more domestic 50-over opportunities. "I don't think there's many players in this team that you could go through and go 'oh they're doing a great job right now'," Salt said. "That's the reality of it because we've not played a lot of 50-over cricket."Trescothick acknowledged the challenges of finding a balance between Test cricket, domestic T20 competitions, and the Hundred. However, he stressed the need to address the lack of 50-over cricket, which is essential for the development of England's white-ball players."It's really challenging," Trescothick said. "We know how important Test cricket is in England and obviously having the domestic T20 competition and the Hundred, that's vitally important to our game. How do we get that balance right? That's for the powers above to look at, but it's not going to be easy."Trescothick also provided an update on Jofra Archer, who successfully completed the series without any injury issues. The fast bowler took only one wicket, but Trescothick expressed satisfaction with his performance as England look to build him back to potentially playing Test cricket in the summer.

Interim England head coach Marcus Trescothick has expressed his concerns over the team's recent struggles, following their 2-1 ODI series defeat to the West Indies. The loss marks England's third consecutive series defeat in the format.Trescothick acknowledged the challenges faced by the team, which included a packed cricketing schedule and the inclusion of several inexperienced players. "It has been a really challenging time for us," he said. "Guys have just finished the Test series in Pakistan. There is another Test series starting in 20 days' time. We know where we are. We have seen some things we have wanted to see."In the series decider at Kensington Oval in Barbados, the West Indies chased down England's total of 263/8 with seven overs remaining, thanks to unbeaten centuries from Keacy Carty and Brandon King. Trescothick praised the performance of young all-rounder Jacob Bethell, who scored a half-century in England's victory in the second match of the series. "Bethell has really shone in the short space of time he has had," he said.Despite the disappointing results, Trescothick believes the team is making progress. "We have a better understanding of what our team will look like in comparison to series results," he said. "A few guys are really stepping up. Liam Livingstone, for example. Bethell has really shone in the short space of time he has had."Former England captain Alastair Cook believes the appointment of Brendon McCullum as head coach of the white-ball teams will provide a much-needed boost. "I'm looking forward to McCullum having his stamp on this side because he has a way of getting the best out of players," Cook said. "Every time he's taken over sides, there's been a real enthusiasm about playing in that team. With that one-day team, it just needs a bit of a boost."

Interim head coach Marcus Trescothick has defended his young ODI squad after their crushing eight-wicket defeat to the West Indies, emphasizing that the result does not accurately reflect the state of English white-ball cricket.England's loss to the West Indies marked their twelfth ODI defeat in 18 matches since the start of the 2023 World Cup. The match featured a new-look eleven with four debutants, highlighting the team's ongoing transition.On a challenging surface, England was bowled out for 209. Despite a promising display with the ball, Windies opener Evin Lewis's explosive 94 off 69 balls ultimately sealed the victory for the home team.Trescothick acknowledged the challenges faced by the young squad, stating, "I think it's certainly not where England cricket is at. Because for a long period of time now, you've not had our main team in white-ball games. You don't really know where white-ball cricket is."He emphasized the need to invest in the next generation of players, despite the recent setbacks. "I think with the system that we've had and the volume of cricket that we've been trying to play and still look after the players, I think you could put a team together tomorrow for a World Cup, and it would probably look different to what you had this series and some of the series that we played against Australia."The current series lacks several key players due to England's Test tours of Pakistan and New Zealand. However, Trescothick believes that the team's focus on youth development is crucial. "It's probably a better question for the selectors more than anything else. It's not my decision who comes in," he said. "But I think you can see from the plan of the England team in the last year, probably, and maybe a little bit further back, how much we want to invest in the next generation."England's innings saw five of the top six batsmen caught in the 30-yard circle, highlighting their struggles to balance defense and attack. "We've got to try and bat 50 overs first and foremost," said Trescothick. "The real skill in white-ball cricket in particular is the tempo and the balance between aggression and batting for long periods of time."Trescothick's tenure as white-ball coach will end in January when Brendon McCullum takes over. He has faced the challenge of balancing the need to emphasize opportunity for young players with the desire to win. "I am trying to get the priority right at the moment. I want to win every game and we dictate that in the dressing room. But we also want to see a few players in the environment before the structure changes and Brendon takes over. So, why not give them the opportunity to thrive in this environment?"Trescothick's future role in the white-ball setup remains uncertain. "I don't know just yet," he said. "We've got a bit of a plan behind the scenes, but nothing has been confirmed as such."

Despite the cancellation of the fifth ODI due to rain, England's victorious squad gathered for their trophy presentation, with Jos Buttler mingling with fans despite his calf injury. Buttler's absence from the field has not diminished his popularity, highlighting the conundrum facing England's limited-overs captain.While Buttler has played a similar role to Ben Stokes during the Test series against Sri Lanka, his presence among the fans during the rain delay was a testament to his enduring status as a crowd favorite. Despite his hands-off approach, Buttler has been actively involved in the team's white-ball regeneration, working closely with players and coaches.Brendon McCullum, who will take over as head coach in 2025, identified Buttler's happiness as crucial to the team's revival. The promising results of the T20I series and the 3-2 ODI loss to Australia have shown that there is potential for growth under Buttler's leadership.Interim head coach Marcus Trescothick believes that Buttler's absence from the field has allowed him to step back and observe the team's dynamics, building relationships and understanding their strengths and weaknesses. Trescothick has been acting as McCullum's surrogate, communicating regularly about selection and strategy.Buttler is expected to return to the playing XI for the upcoming series against West Indies, but his exact role remains uncertain. The proximity to the Pakistan tour may mean that he resumes wicketkeeping, while Harry Brook's impressive leadership skills have raised questions about the long-term captaincy.Brook's ability to lead by example and his positive decision-making have made him a potential successor to Buttler. However, the final decision will rest with Buttler, who remains the team's captain for the foreseeable future.The focus for England and Buttler is to ensure that he slots back into the team seamlessly. The changes and conversations that have taken place during his absence have been aimed at creating an environment where Buttler can flourish and the next generation of players can develop.

Veteran Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has sparked discussions among cricket enthusiasts after revealing his choices for the finest players of the cover drive and pull shot. In a recent rapid-fire Q&A session, Ashwin surprised many by naming former England batter Marcus Trescothick as the best cover drive exponent, instead of his Indian teammate Virat Kohli.Similarly, when asked about the greatest pull shot player, Ashwin opted for former Australian captain Ricky Ponting over India's current skipper Rohit Sharma. These choices have raised eyebrows, considering Kohli and Sharma are widely regarded as masters of these shots.Ashwin's selections highlight his admiration for the technical prowess and consistency of Trescothick and Ponting. Trescothick, known for his elegant strokeplay, possessed an exceptional ability to time the ball and execute the cover drive with precision. Ponting, on the other hand, was renowned for his aggressive and powerful pull shot, which he used to devastating effect against fast bowlers.While Ashwin's choices may not align with popular opinion, they underscore his deep understanding of the game and his appreciation for players who excel in specific areas. It also serves as a reminder that different players have their own unique strengths and styles.Beyond his opinions on batting, Ashwin also addressed his retirement plans. At 37 years of age, the off-spinner has enjoyed a remarkable career, taking over 500 Test wickets. However, he remains focused on the present and has no immediate plans to retire."There is nothing like that in my mind. I am only thinking about one day at a time because when you get older, you have to put in extra effort every single day. It's not the same. I have put in a lot of effort in the last 3-4 years," Ashwin said."I haven't decided (retirement), but the day I feel that today I don't want to improve, I will leave. That's all," he added.Ashwin's determination to continue playing at the highest level is a testament to his passion for the game and his belief in his abilities. As he prepares for India's upcoming Test series against Bangladesh, Ashwin will be eager to prove that he still has plenty to offer.

Andrew Flintoff, the former England all-rounder, will join the Test squad as a batting consultant ahead of the third Test against Sri Lanka at The Oval. Flintoff's appointment comes as Marcus Trescothick, the current batting coach, takes a short break before assuming the role of interim white-ball head coach for the upcoming series against Australia.Flintoff has been involved with England's white-ball setup for the past year, including the T20 World Cup in June. However, he will not be part of Trescothick's coaching staff for the three T20Is and five ODIs against Australia next month. Flintoff recently gained experience as a head coach with the Northern Superchargers in the Hundred, where his team narrowly missed out on qualification.Flintoff is expected to join the Test squad on Wednesday for two training days and will assist Brendon McCullum's staff throughout the third Test. His role is short-term, and he is not expected to be involved in the winter tours of Pakistan and New Zealand.Trescothick will take a few days off after the second Test at Lord's before joining the white-ball squad ahead of the first T20I against Australia on September 11. His backroom staff will largely remain the same as Matthew Mott's, with the addition of England Under-19s coach Michael Yardy.Trescothick has not yet decided whether he will apply for the white-ball head coach's role on a permanent basis. He stated, "I'm still very focused on the batting stuff with the Test team. I'm going to let this play out and see what happens for this period of time, and see how much I enjoy doing the head coach's role and then go from there really."Trescothick will work alongside Jos Buttler, his former Somerset teammate, who is expected to continue as captain but may relinquish the wicketkeeping gloves in the T20Is. Trescothick said, "It's definitely something we'll think about, because we can try different options, give it a go for a period of time and see what reaction it has on his captaincy and on the team."Despite recent setbacks in World Cups, Trescothick believes England's one-day cricket is in a good place. He added, "Jos is going to lead that forward for a period of time at the moment - and I don't see it changing."

Marcus Trescothick, England's assistant coach, has been appointed as the interim head coach for the upcoming T20I and ODI series against Australia. However, Trescothick remains undecided about his long-term aspirations for the white-ball role.Trescothick, who is currently assisting the Test team in their series against Sri Lanka, will join the white-ball squads at the Utilita Bowl in Southampton after the third Test at The Oval. The T20I series against Australia commences on September 11, just 24 hours after the scheduled conclusion of the Test match.Despite having no prior experience as a head coach, Trescothick has expressed interest in transitioning to the role. He served as an assistant coach at Somerset for 18 months following his retirement as a player in 2019 and has been part of England's coaching staff since 2021.Trescothick's close relationship with Jos Buttler, the white-ball captain, from their time together at Somerset will be an asset in his new role. Buttler, who has recovered from a calf injury, could feature for Lancashire in their T20 Blast quarter-final against Sussex on September 4.The ECB has yet to formally advertise the white-ball head coach position vacated by Matthew Mott's dismissal earlier this month. However, Trescothick could emerge as a strong contender if England performs well against Australia. Kumar Sangakkara is considered the early favorite, but his interest remains unconfirmed.Andrew Flintoff, who recently coached the Northern Superchargers in the Hundred, could also be a potential candidate. However, he will not reprise his role in England's coaching staff against Australia due to reported compatibility issues with Buttler.

England's assistant coach Marcus Trescothick has made a bold claim that the team will not focus heavily on studying their opponents, despite India's dominance on Day 1 of the fifth Test in Dharamsala.After England's disappointing performance, Trescothick emphasized the team's unique approach to the game. "We are a very unique side in how we go about things," he said. "I don't think we will study what India do too much."Trescothick explained that England's strategy is to maintain a level-headed approach, regardless of the outcome. "We don't get too down when we have bad days, we don't get too high when we have good days," he said. "You just have to stay level and recognize what you can do better."Despite England's struggles, Trescothick identified some positive aspects of their performance. He praised Zak Crawley's batting in the first session, but acknowledged that the team lacked partnerships to build a substantial total."We had some good things - the way we played up until lunch when the ball swung around more than we expected, Crawley getting that score," Trescothick said. "We just didn't get those partnerships going to get a big score and put the total on the board we needed to."Trescothick admitted that Day 1 was challenging for England, but expressed confidence in the team's ability to bounce back. "It was a challenging day, no doubt about that," he said. "Hopefully we come back and improve."