England have confirmed Rob Key as the new Managing Director of men’s cricket, replacing Ashley Giles who was sacked following England’s dismal Ashes tour.
Andrew Strauss, who has been undertaking the role on an interim basis, led the recruitment and it has now been announced that Key, a regular Standard Sport columnist, will take up the role immediately, leaving his role as a pundit at Sky Sports.
One of the first tasks on the agenda will be appointing a new Test captain, with Joe Root standing down from the role after five years in charge. A new permanent Head Coach will also be a priority, after Chris Silverwood was sacked, and it remains to be seen whether England decide to split the role between formats. A National Selector could also come in the weeks ahead too.
While England’s white-ball sides are in fine fettle, it’s the red-ball set-up that evidently needs the most work. With one win in the last 17 Test matches and five straight series defeats leading to a clear-out at senior level, Key has plenty to address.
“It is an absolute honour to take up this role,” Key said.
“The chance to have an impact and make a difference is an opportunity given to very few and I will give it everything I have to try shape the next great era of English Men’s cricket.
“I have absolutely loved my time at Sky and I could never have imagined leaving were it not for this incredible opportunity. I’d like to personally thank Bryan Henderson and everyone in the team for their help and support.
“Although at this current moment it has been a challenging time in English cricket, I also think it’s as exciting a time as I can remember. With two of our teams near or at the top of the world rankings and an undoubted amount of talent in our game, I hope to try and bring everyone along for the ride so we can all help take English Men’s cricket to new heights across all formats.”
ECB Chief Executive Officer Tom Harrison, who himself appears to have an uncertain future, hopes the left-field nature of the appointment will bring a freshness to the role.
He said: “Following a thorough recruitment process, Rob stood out in a very competitive field. His passion and knowledge of the game at domestic and international level is outstanding. He is a proven leader and combines an approachable nature with fresh original thinking and resilience which will stand him in good stead.
“He will bring a lot to the role and I am sure players and staff alike will enjoy working with Rob. I have no doubt he will relish the challenge before us.”
