Build on Root relationship and invest in youth: Chris Silverwood's England to-do list

The Cricketer looks at what the 44-year-old must sort out without delay after being confirmed as Trevor Bayliss' successor

Appoint a bowling coach

Silverwood's move into the head coach position leaves a void in the coaching team. The 44-year-old became the full-time bowling coach in January 2018 but his promotion means England are without someone to lead their attack off-the-field, this winter.

A temporary appointment will be made with Silverwood's agreement for the tour of New Zealand, which starts on November 1, before a permanent successor is sought. Among the contenders could be Andre Nel, the assistant head coach and bowling coach at county champions Essex - Silverwood's former haunt.

Neil Killeen, who has worked with the England Under-19s and was at Durham last season, may also come under consideration. Of those currently operating in the Championship, Alfonso Thomas at Hampshire and Surrey's Richard Johnson, lead the way, if Glen Chapple is out of reach.

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Nurture Joe Root as a leader

While Trevor Bayliss' hands-off approach worked alongside Eoin Morgan, the same couldn't quite be said for Joe Root. The Yorkshireman will need Silverwood to be more hands-on than the previous incumbent and help try to turn him into a more rounded leader.

Indeed, Root already has plenty of faith in Silverwood and has urged him to take a leading role in team talks of late. Following the Ashes, he wants to form a blueprint for the future and build a plan of how to reclaim the Ashes in Australia in 2021-22. Having a trusted ally full of ideas alongside him will be key to that.

Root needs clarity on a host of areas including player welfare, tactics and his own role within the team which remains a changeable feast. Having someone readily willing to bounce ideas off will be important to getting the best out of the captain both in and away from the middle.

^{A Championship winning coach with Essex, Chris Silverwood knows about the talent in the county game}

Structure the batting order

The central deficiency of the Test team comes in the batting order which has not had proper structure since the retirements of Andrew Strauss and Jonathan Trott. Though Steve Smith might argue otherwise, this area was the key reason behind the Ashes not being reclaimed this summer. Having a feeble answer to the best batsman in the world meant England were often on the back foot from the first ball.

The identity of the opening pair, the positions of Root and Ben Stokes, who will keep wicket and whether a specialist is required in the middle-order are all solutions that need answers. It will take longer than a single winter to find them, but this is central to whether England's hopes of returning as a significant presence in the five-day game are realistic, or merely a pipedream.

^{Can Ashley Giles and Chris Silverwood exert their influence over the ECB?}

Test the uncapped battery

Seven untested players will travel to New Zealand for the T20 and Test tour. Though England rugby union coach Eddie Jones might have them running drinks instead, there is little point asking them to have a watching brief - they must be blooded immediately.

With back-to-back World T20s and an Ashes series to build towards all before the start if 2022, England cannot afford to waste time on players who have let the team down in the recent past. Jonny Bairstow and Jason Roy's exit from the Test side highlights just that.

Though the group drafted in for the tour are a talented bunch, can they deal with the pressure-filled environment of international cricket? This winter must represent an educational experience both for the players, but also for the selectors over which individuals can form the backbone of the red and white-ball teams for the next few years.

^{Lewis Gregory is among the uncapped players bound for New Zealand}

Influence the County Championship schedule where possible

A product of the county system who went on to represent his country at Test and ODI level before becoming a Championship winning coach with Essex, Silverwood knows all too well the contribution the domestic game has made to the England team and the talent which currently exists within it.

But it remains to be seen how he and director of cricket Ashley Giles can influence the powers that be at the ECB over the schedule for the coming seasons. The onus from an international perspective will be on red-ball cricket but some from inside the county game believe this will not become truly evident until even 2021.

The addition of The Hundred into the mix will further complicate things but it is obvious that Giles already has his eye on the shape of next year's fixture list, which last year was announced in November. He has even suggested playing Championship matches on reduced points while many of country cricket's biggest stars play in the new 100-ball competition.

Will the ECB be receptive to this two-pronged attack on their plans to grow the ball through the white-ball or can England's senior pair exert enough pressure to ensure the Championship does not fall off the radar completely and is positioned to assist the men's team?