Bold calls no problem for Farbrace

Paul Farbrace will jump at the chance to replace Trevor Bayliss as England coach if it is offered next year – and has demonstrated once more he is prepared to make bold calls in office.

Farbrace’s brief stint in sole charge, while Bayliss sits out the Twenty20 against Australia and three against India, will start with a fresh beginning for Jos Buttler, as opener alongside Jason Roy at Edgbaston today.

That call has been made in conjunction with Bayliss and England’s selectors, but it takes effect nonetheless on Farbrace’s watch.

As England seek to add Twenty 20 “Ashes” supremacy to their 5-0 ODI whitewash of Australia, the deployment of Buttler and Roy together – with Alex Hales to bat at No 3 – may soon bring further high-profile consequences.

Joe Root’s continued firstchoice Twenty20 involvement is one example, while Hales is perhaps no longer a certainty in this format.

Farbrace’s track record suggests he will not be afraid of those judgements, while, on his readiness to replace Bayliss when the Australian steps aside in September next year, he said. “If (EWCB director Andrew) Strauss said we want to offer you the job, or split it (between formats) and me look after one of the teams, it would be so difficult to say no to that. If I ended up being offered the position that would be great.”