James Taylor to step down as England head scout

The 32-year-old was appointed England men's selector in July 2018 and later became head scout in April 2021

James Taylor is set to step down as head scout of the England’s men’s team.

The 32-year-old, who first joined the ECB as a selector in July 2018, was appointed head scout in April 2021 following the abolition of selectors. He has continued to play a key role in squad selection over the past 13 months.

He is the latest person to depart the England set-up in 2022, with Rob Key replacing Ashely Giles as managing director of men’s cricket, Ben Stokes succeeding Joe Root as Test captain, and Brendon McCullum (Test) and Matthew Mott (ODI and T20I) splitting the head coaching responsibilities previously held by Chris Silverwood.

Prior to joining the ECB, Taylor was a middle-order batter who represented England in seven Test matches and 27 ODIs, scoring 1,199 runs. He also played for Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire at county level.

^{James Taylor made 34 appearances for England [Gareth Copley/Getty Images]}

He was forced to retire in 2016 after being diagnosed with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, an incurable heart condition.

Commenting on his departure, Taylor said: "It has been an honour to hold the position of selector for three years and the last year as head scout. I would like to thank everyone at the ECB for all their support. We have had some fantastic highlights during that period that I will remember forever.

"The time is right for me to explore new opportunities, and I'm excited about what lies ahead."

Managing director of England men’s cricket, Rob Key, added: "James Taylor has been a great servant to English cricket both as a player and an excellent administrator over the past four years.

"He has a deep passion for the game and is attuned to the current demands of a modern cricketer, having played with and against most of the England set-up and pathway players.

"Everyone at the ECB would like to thank James for his hard work and dedication and wish him well in the next chapter of his career."