England should commit players and

Nation’s white-ball team will remain competitive but new coach is facing hard job in long format By Tim Wigmore They have to train the brain to score 450-500. You are not winning in Australia with 300

This summer has brought a new audience to cricket. In 10 or 15 years’ time, we will be hearing from young England players who fell in love with cricket in 2019. Everything about it

was great, from the pitches, the full grounds that created brilliant atmospheres, to the exciting cricket produced by the best players in the world. The sport needed this summer. Cricket has started to appeal to people again and it must be used as a springboard.

For the team, it is time to take stock. I have no concerns about England’s white-ball side. They have a group of players who are going to remain very competitive. They just need to make sure they are favourites going into next year’s Twenty20 World Cup and they have the style of players capable of pulling it off.

Now it is down to the next coach of the white-ball team to work out how they win a World Cup in India in 2023. That will be the ultimate challenge. Now is the time to start putting strategic plans in place to win that competition, like they did four years ago to win in England. The cycle starts again because you have to keep improving.

The Test team played well at the Oval but have been inconsistent for too long. The new coach has to work out how they can play with a point to prove week in, week out. They are a better team when they have been criticised than after being praised. They get the bit between their teeth when they have had a rocket. How can the new coach make sure that is their mentality all the time and not just after some criticism?

They also have finally to accept the way to play Test cricket is to bat for long periods. I think the penny dropped in the last Test. England have the tools to be competitive in Australia in two years’ time but we have to be realistic. England have to be dedicated and committed to Test cricket. The new coach has to identify what it is that can make England successful in Australia.

Fundamentally, the first thing they have to do is train the brain to score 450-500. You are not winning in Australia with 300. They also have to produce relentless bowling performances on day one when conditions are against them, not just like at the Oval when they were ahead of the game from halfway through day two. England are very good in their own conditions and when on top. How do they come back from losing the toss in good conditions? Can they bowl relentless line and length under pressure?

In terms of coaching structure, if you are going to have one head coach, then fine, but he needs time off, too. I would go for separate Test and one-day coaches. But if they want one person in charge then they have to go for a football manager-style supremo who is across all three formats and a very good communicator because that will be a vital part of the job.

I want to see some diehard Test-loving coaches in the ranks who are completely committed to Test cricket. That is all they live and breath so when players arrive in the Test side they are surrounded by Test experts.

When the white-ball games are on, the Test coaches should be out watching county cricket or working with the players who are