ENG vs PAK | England appoint Jonathan Trott as batting consultant
Former English cricketer Jonathan Trott has been appointed as England’s batting consultant for the three-match Test series against Pakistan that will commence from August 5th at Old Trafford. Trott’s appointment means Graham Thorpe would go back to being just the assistant coach.
After Pakistan roped in legendary batsman Younis Khan as their batting consultant ahead of the three-match Test series versus England, the home side have now come up with a big-name appointment of their own, as the side, on Monday, announced that former cricketer Jonathan Trott would be taking up the role of the batting consultant for the series against Azhar Ali’s side. Trott served as an unofficial, temporary batting consultant for the English side ahead of the start of the last Test summer, but he will now join the home team’s camp full-fledgedly ahead of the all-important three-Test series versus Pakistan.
Trott’s appointment serves as a huge relief for Graham Thorpe, who had been serving both as a batting consultant and the assistant coach after Mark Ramprakash left his role of the English side’s batting coach post the 2019 World Cup. The appointment of Trott means that Thorpe will solely focus on being the assistant coach of the side for the first Test. The ECB, interestingly, though, have named Paul Collingwood, who has been overseeing the England side in the ongoing ODIs against Ireland, as the assistant coach for the second and third Tests.
Meanwhile, England have also roped in the duo of Graeme Welch and Jeetan Patel, who will serve as the side’s pace bowling and spin bowling consultants respectively. The ex-Kiwi spinner Patel, however, has only been asked to turn up for the second and the third Tests. Former Nottinghamshire wicket-keeper Bruce French and former Sussex batsman Carl Hopkinson, meanwhile, have been appointed as the side’s wicket-keeping and fielding coaches respectively, for the series.
England will play 3 Tests and as many T20Is versus Pakistan and the tour will kick-start with the red-ball matches, with the two sides set to lock horns in the first Test at Old Trafford that will commence from Wednesday, August 5.Â