HIGHS ON THE PRIZE
England coach Silverwood taking break from two low-key ODI series to be 100% fresh for big Ashes showdown
HEAD coach Chris Silverwood will take a break from England this summer and hand control of two ODI series to his deputies so he can remain fresh right through to the Ashes.
This summer’s packed schedule runs pretty much non-stop from the first Test against New Zealand in three weeks to the end of a Caribbean tour next March. Having been given overall responsibility for all teams including selection, Silverwood’s plate is fuller than most.
It is why he is standing down for the three matches against Sri Lanka and three against Pakistan that follow in late June and early July.
With the next 50-over World Cup not due until 2023, these are England’s lower key matches this year.
It allows assistant coaches Paul Collingwood (inset, top) and Graham Thorpe (inset, bottom) to take charge for a series apiece and develop their leadership credentials.
“I will need that break to refresh and get ready for what is ahead of us,” said Silverwood.
“If I am not operating at 100 percent and not giving back what I need to give back to the team, I won’t be providing the service of a level of a quality I need to do. It is just important that we keep our personnel as fresh as possible. It won’t be easy to switch off but I’ll do my best.” England have made rest and rotation a priority for their players during the pandemic, with bubble fatigue and its impact on mental health a big concern.
This winter every multiformat player got some time away from the tours to Sri Lanka and India starting with Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer who missed the Test tour to Sri Lanka. Silverwood has not really stopped since taking over from Trevor Bayliss in 2019, although he did leave the tour of New Zealand a few days early for a family bereavement with Collingwood and Thorpe taking joint charge. And he is confident the former England batsmen will relish the responsibility of leading alongside skipper Eoin Morgan. “I said right from the start I was going to step back at times and promote them forward to give them leadership opportunities,” he added. “I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t trust them 100 percent which I do. They’re a huge asset to us.”