Captaincy, split coaching and selectors: The in-tray waiting for Rob Key

The Cricketer looks at some of the jobs facing the ECB’s new managing director, who was announced as Ashley Giles’ replacement on April 17

On Easter Sunday, after 75 days without anyone in the post, the ECB completed its search for a new managing director of England men's cricket. And the lucky winner is former international and Sky Sports commentator, Rob Key, who succeeds Ashley Giles in the role.

Here, The Cricketer looks at what Key is likely to find hiding in his in-tray at Lord's…

A new head coach and Test captain

England have been without a permanent head coach in any format since Chris Silverwood's services were dispensed with on February 4 and are now without a Test captain following Joe Root's resignation on April 15. Plugging these two gaps will be an immediate priority for Key.

On the coaching front, the 42-year-old, like Strauss, is understood to favour splitting red and white-ball responsibilities. Speaking on Sky Sports earlier this year, he labelled Silverwood's three-format job "an impossible task" and said a split coaching setup is better "in this new era".

Arguably the more difficult task, however, is selecting a new Test captain. Several names have been floating around the rumour mill since the end of the Ashes, including Ben Stokes, Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler, Sam Billings and even Moeen Ali, but every touted candidate comes with baggage or a series of question marks.

Does he select a likeable character like Root, a decent chap who is unlikely to resort to the hairdryer treatment? Does he want the exact opposite to shake up the changing room? Or perhaps a veteran player as a stop-gap while the likes of Billings and co get international matches under their belts?

Whoever he appoints to both positions will lay down an earlier indicator about what to expect from his tenure. Key must heed the advice of the Grail Knight in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and "choose wisely".

^{Chris Silverwood left his post after England's Ashes defeat (William West/AFP  via Getty Images)}

James Anderson and Stuart Broad

Ahead of England's recent tour of the Caribbean, the decision was taken to not select James Anderson or Stuart Broad. No explanation, other than the oft-repeated "red-ball reset", has been given and neither player appears to understand the rationale behind their omissions.

Speaking at Lancashire's media day, Anderson still appeared baffled by the call and admitted he has had very limited contact from anyone at the ECB in the intervening weeks. Judging by his Daily Mail columns, Broad is in a similar position.

Bringing England's two leading Test wicket-takers in from the cold and opening up a dialogue about selection, the direction of the Test side and their respective futures is a must.

Selector or no selector?

It's almost a year to the day that Giles made the decision to remove Ed Smith as national selector and shelve the position altogether, handing the responsibility of deciding the final squad to head coach Silverwood and captains Root (Test) and Eoin Morgan (white-ball).

It was a bold piece of restructuring, ending over 100 years of tradition and moving national selection in cricket more in line with football and rugby.

However, it also added yet more work to Silverwood's plate – with three formats to manage, a relentless international schedule and the small matter of a global pandemic and its associated issues, with what time was he meant to watch any county cricket? – and in Key's eyes, gave him too much power.

Strauss is also believed to be in favour of adding a voice from outside the changing room into the selection process, so Key will probably have a third set of CVs to read in the not too distant future. Could Smith make a shock return or will a fresher face, such as James Taylor, join the party?

And within this, lies questions about selection policies, rest and rotation, and player welfare. Strict bubble environments are largely a thing of the past but as England’s track record of broken down pace bowlers (Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, Ollie Robinson, Olly Pope, the Currans etc.) indicates, there are deep-rooted problems with player management which need addressing.

^{Anderson and Broad were left out for the West Indies series (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images)}

The direction of English cricket

That old chestnut.

Commenting following his appointment, Key spoke of shaping "the next great era of English men's cricket" and with Strauss promising to conduct a high performance review of English cricket with the ambition of making England "the best in the world in all formats" and possibly restructuring the domestic season from 2023, he'll certainly have lots to get his teeth stuck into.

Of course, the obvious starting point is red-ball cricket, with England currently languishing at the foot of the World Test Championship table and with just one win in 10 matches. Red-ball reset (the miracle cure), prioritise the game's longest format, done.  

Except it's not going to be that simple.

Jostling for room under that vague umbrella are a host of issues including, but not limited to, the inflated domestic season and associated scheduling issues, the divisive Hundred, player availability – relating to both the IPL, which takes players away from the County Championship, and the ECB's puppeteering of when centrally contracted players are available for their counties, the quality of domestic pitches, the dearth of opportunities for developing spin bowlers, and a powder-keg debate about what is the 'right' number of counties.

There's also a T20 World Cup in autumn, a World Cup title defence in the not too distant future, players wanting play in lucrative franchise tournaments (and with the money on offer, who can blame them?), and the all-important financial considerations which underly every decision.

It's going to be a delicate balancing act and one which cannot be rushed.

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