Former England batsman Rob Key has emerged as an unlikely candidate to be the new managing director of England.
With England currently out in the West Indies on a three-Test tour, the role is currently being filled by Andrew Strauss on an interim basis. Strauss has been charged with appointing someone to the position full-time after Ashley Giles was sacked last month.
Giles, 49, fell on his sword following another dire display Down Under in the Ashes, with Australia romping to a 4-0 win. England's recent draws in Antigua and Barbados leave their current series all square heading into Wednesday's final match in Grenada, meaning a run of just one win in 16 Tests.
Giles, 49, hasn't been the only casualty. Head coach Chris Silverwood was sacked, with Paul Collingwood currently in temporary charge, while batting guru Graham Thorpe was axed following following the final Test in Hobart.
Alec Stewart emerged as a likely favourite for the managing director role, but this week confirmed he would not be pursuing the position for personal reasons. The former England keeper-batsman will remain as director of cricket at Surrey.
Now Key, who played 15 Tests for his country and famously struck 221 against the West Indies in 2004, has confirmed his interest in the role, according to MailSport. Indeed, the Sky Sports pundit has already given an indication of how he'd approach matters after analysing the removal of Giles earlier this year.
"In this new era we will probably go for a split coaching set-up with one coach for Test cricket and one for white-ball cricket, while we’ll probably have some form of selection panel back," he said. "That’s the complete opposite of what Silverwood was asked to do. He was given an impossible task."
ECB chiefs have been accused of neglecting Test cricket in favour of the white-ball sides, with Eoin Morgan's team is currently ranked amongst the best in the world in the ODI and T20 formats. The shift in focus followed a dismal 50-over World Cup in 2015, a decision seemingly justified four years later when England captured the trophy on home soil.
Key is a popular figure in the English game, and an iconic figure at Kent where he spent 18 years. Between 1998 and 2016, he racked up more than 19,000 first class runs for the county.
Given his lack of management experience, he would undoubtedly be viewed as a left-field choice, but Strauss himself worked as managing director between 2015 and 2018 following punditry work. During that time, the left-hander established a reputation whereby he was not afraid to make difficult decisions.
Other potential candidates include former national selector Ed Smith, who was originally appointed to that role by Strauss, and former Australian Test players Tom Moody and Marcus North. The pair are currently directors of cricket at Sri Lanka and Durham respectively.
Following the series in the West Indies, England host New Zealand, South Africa, and India in Tests this year. The game against India is a one-off match after the final match of the series was postponed in 2021, with the tourists 2-1 up in the series.
