Hired Matthew Mott after suspecting Eoin Morgan would retire, says ECB Director Rob Key
Since former England player Robert Key took charge of affairs for England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), ‘The Three Lions’ have been on a high.
Key, who is the ECB's Managing Director for Men's Cricket, headed the appointment of Brendon McCullum and Matthew Mott as England's head coaches for the red-and-white ball formats, respectively. These decisions have yielded remarkable results thus far.
The former England batter has now revealed why Mott was chosen for the post, which at the time looked like a hasty decision.
Why Mott was the perfect choice for England….
Speaking to The Guardian, Key said that with Eoin Morgan's impending retirement looming over English cricket, Mott seemed like the perfect guy to usher the team into a new era.
"One of the reasons I wanted someone with experience was in case Eoin Morgan gave it up. When I came in, he (Morgan) pretty much ran the entire setup. He never guaranteed, 'I will definitely be there for the World Cup', and that became part of the decision-making process. This team really ran itself with Eoin Morgan. What's the best way to do it when he's not there? That's why Matthew Mott. I wasn't expecting this, but it was part of the thinking," Key added.
Morgan announced his retirement from international cricket last month after serving as captain of the white-ball side since 2015.
Key came into cricket administration after England suffered series losses to Australia and West Indies, under Chris Silverwood's coaching and Joe Root's captaincy.
Read: 'Bazball' the phrase devalues what Stokes and McCullum have done: Key
Can they play Test? Can they play white-ball?: Key
The 43-year-old cricketer-turned-administrator also spoke about the problems within England's setup, pertaining to injuries to key bowlers (Jofra Archer and Mark Wood).
He said, "The ones (where) it becomes an issue are Jofra Archer, Mark Wood, your fast bowlers. The problem will come if they are all fit, then you've got a decision to make - can they play every Test match? Can they play every white-ball game? But at the moment none of them are fit."
Hopeful he will be involved in everything: Key
Key remains hopeful of Archer playing in all formats for England despite his run-ins with injuries that have kept him out of action for over a year.
"I'm hopeful he will be involved in everything. Unless someone who knows a lot more about backs and injuries (tells me otherwise), I will not change my view on that," concluded the former Sky Sports commentator.
Read: ECB and Sky Sports extend broadcast partnership till 2028
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