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Fun fact- Current England test coach Brendon McCullum was heavily touted to take the role of England’s white-ball coach, but it was a role he was neither interested in nor did he apply for the role. “I wasn’t interested in a cushy kind of gig” is what he said of the role back in 2022.
Oh, how the winds of time have changed. With Matthew Mott leaving his role as England white-ball coach on Tuesday, what started out to be a “cushy” job is now a ship strangled in choppy waters with no captain to bail them out.
When Mott took the mantle of head coach, things were on the up for England as far as white-ball cricket was concerned. They were 50-over World Champions and were unfortunate semifinalists in the 2021 t20 World Cup. They would go on to win the 2022 T20 World Cup under Mott’s tutelage to further cement their status as the top dogs of the white-ball circuit, but with the powers that be in England Cricket turning their attention towards reversing the dwindling fortunes of the Test side, the ODI and the T20i sides began to be overlooked.
That showed itself in various ways. Given the age profiles and trajectories of established and establishing talent, Mott rarely had access to his entire squad, meaning that continuity and defining roles were left until the eve of key tournaments at a time when personnel swaps should have been regular. That did not come quickly enough, as seen by a disastrous ODI title defence last winter.
He was essentially operating with a second/third-string hybrid group on three occasions: his debut match in the Netherlands, a ridiculous series against Australia a week after the 2022 T20 World Cup, and an awkward three matches against Ireland at the conclusion of the summer of 2023. Even with all the cards in his deck, awkwardness on the outside presented its own set of difficulties.
An uneasy atmosphere prevailed in the England camp following the contract standoff at the end of the previous summer, when the ECB introduced new multi-year deals that spilt over into the opening of the 50-over World Cup. Although talks with players started in the summer, the defending champions had already dropped three of their first four group stage matches when the contracts were formally revealed at the end of October.
Rob Key, the managing director, is correct when he says the squad “needs a new direction”. However, Mott was undoubtedly not in complete control of the pedals or the wheel. On June 20, 2022, the major event of his term was scheduled. This event will also have an impact on the question of who would take over as interim coach when Marcus Trescothick serves out the summer.
Mott and Buttler performed well on their own. Mott remained composed in the dressing room, especially during the recent T20 World Cup when England was on the verge of another disaster due to rain and a loss to Australia. Buttler, one of the world’s greatest limited-overs hitters and a diligent individual, has long inspired others around him. However, when they combined, blind areas showed up.
In the end, Mott yields because a coach is simpler to replace than a captain, especially when there is a leadership vacancy in the white ball setup. Finding an experienced coach with solid franchise and international ties is Key’s top objective; he has no intention of narrowing the field to English candidates.
England needs a firm hand, but they won’t choose a contrarian approach—Key thinks that “good cop, bad cop” combinations simply foster conflict, which is hardly conducive to a harmonious dressing room.
Undoubtedly, some people have noticed the attention Mott received and are wondering if it’s worth the trouble. They would have to work very hard to give up any lucrative jobs they may have, especially when franchise owners want their staff to be more devoted to them.
Though there is plenty to think about, it takes time. The 2025 Champions Trophy in February and a white-ball series in the Caribbean will follow the new coach’s ideal start date at the end of summer. Given that the West Indies series is sandwiched between Test tours of Pakistan and New Zealand, it is a perfect chance to start over, although with the same skipper and comparable obstacles in the near future.
In 2024, the “gig” is definitely not as “cushy” as it was in 2022. The task of finding and persuading Mott’s replacement is also not easy.