Andrew “Freddie” Flintoff. (Photo Source: Philip Brown/Popperfoto/Popperfoto via Getty Images )
Former England all-rounder, Andrew Flintoff, will not be part of the coaching staff for The Three Lions’ upcoming white-ball series against Australia. The decision comes as stand-in white-ball coach Marcus Trescothick is allowed to build his coaching team.
Flintoff, who starred in England’s 2005 Ashes victory, had been involved with the national team over the last year, working as a consultant.
His stint included a significant role as an assistant coach during the T20 World Cup in June this year. Despite his celebrated career and coaching potential, Flintoff’s involvement with the Three Lions has been on a short-term consultancy basis rather than a full-time contract.
The 46-year-old’s first major coaching role came this season with the Northern Superchargers in The Hundred. Under his guidance, the Superchargers performed brilliantly, winning five out of seven games and narrowly missing out on the playoffs.
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Cricket has given me so much: Flintoff
One of the key factors in Flintoff’s departure from the England coaching setup appears to be his relationship with England’s white-ball captain, Jos Buttler.
Reports suggest that both of them, do not fully gel. In contrast, Buttler shares a strong rapport with Trescothick, with whom he played at Somerset during his early professional years. Trescothick, who has been involved in Buttler’s development, particularly in batting, seems to be the preferred choice for shaping the team’s future.
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After suffering a serious car crash while filming Top Gear in December 2022, Flintoff’s return to cricket was slow, starting with scouting roles and later involving work with age-group sides.
“Cricket has given me so much. It’s all I ever wanted to do as a kid and I got the opportunity to live my dream. I feel really lucky to be back here and I want the lads to cherish playing. When you finish playing, you look back and it passes so quickly, but you just take time when you’re out there, just to have a look around and take it in and live in the moment,” Flintoff said as quoted by The Telegraph.