Afghanistan turn to Jonathan Trott as replacement for Graham Thorpe

The former England batter will begin his interim tenure against Ireland before the Asia Cup and T20 World Cup

Jonathan Trott has been confirmed as the new interim head coach of Afghanistan men.

Graham Thorpe was appointed in March after leaving his post with England following the Ashes but illness means he is unable to take up the post at this time.

Raees Khan had been operating as interim coach. Lance Klusener had previously led the team for two years until he stepped down after the T20 World Cup.

Trott will begin his tenure with the five-match T20I series in Ireland in August 

The Asia Cup in Sri Lanka, twice postponed due to Covid-19, is the next assignment between August 27 and September 11, before the second T20 World Cup in as many years in Australia between October and November.

It will be Trott's first senior head coach role after short-term assignments across cricket.

^{Thorpe was installed as Afghanistan coach in March but has been struck down by illness (David Gray/Getty Images)}

He was installed as Warwickshire's assistant coach alongside Mark Robinson ahead of the 2022 county season after working for the club on a consultancy basis.

That followed a winter working as a batting coach with England, England Lions and Scotland.

Last summer saw him operate with Hundred side Trent Rockets while he has previously been part of Kent's backroom team.

The 41-year-old played 52 Tests, 68 ODIs and seven T20Is for England across an international career cut short by problems around anxiety and his mental health.

In 2018, he made the last of his 556 professional appearances for Warwickshire in the LV= Insurance County Championship and entered retirement having scored more than 30,000 domestic and international runs across the formats.

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