England Men’s Assistant Coach Paul Collingwood on Monday has been appointed Interim Head Coach for next month’s three-match Test tour of the Caribbean, said a statement issued by England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).
Collingwood, who took charge of England’s T20 tour of the West Indies last month, is currently taking a break in Barbados before joining the touring party when they arrive in Antigua on February 25. The series starts on March 8.
The departures of head coach Chris Silverwood and assistant coach Graham Thorpe following England’s humiliating 4-0 Ashes defeat in Australia left Collingwood as the highest-ranked member of the backroom team.
He said: “I am genuinely excited to be leading the Test team for the tour of the Caribbean. I can’t wait to get started.
“Having a challenging Test series against the West Indies straight off the back of the Ashes disappointment gives us a chance from now to reset and rebuild.”
“Playing Test matches for England is the highest accolade in the game. My objective is to give players clarity, direction and encouragement for them to start building something special,” he added.
Collingwood also said: “I have spoken to Joe Root and Ben Stokes, and both are excited and passionate to take the team forward in this new cycle. Although they know it won’t be easy, they have the desire and bravery to do things differently to ensure the team can prosper.
“We have an opportunity to get back on track.”
The touring party is to be announced on Tuesday afternoon and will depart the UK on Thursday, February 24.
