England look to move on after disastrous World Cup

Following England’s early exit from the World Cup in India, Matthew Mott, the team’s white-ball coach, has received a vote of confidence from Rob Key, the managing director. Despite the disappointment, Mott has expressed his determination to continue in his role and is more determined than ever.

Key, taking responsibility for England’s underwhelming performance, acknowledged that coaching is evaluated based on results and players’ performance.

“It’s very hard for me to be critical of Jos Buttler and Matthew Mott when I’m the one who, every single time the decision has been made for whether or not we focus on 50-over cricket, Test cricket or T20, I’ve always chosen Test cricket,” Key said to BBC.

Looking forward, Key affirmed his full backing for Mott and Buttler, expressing confidence in their ability to lead a rebuild. He noted that the upcoming tour to the Caribbean would provide an opportunity for the duo to define roles and select the best players for each position.

“I think Jos will be a better leader for this,” Key said. “We have to pick [squads by asking], ‘who are our best white ball players?’ Bang, put them in there. We have to get back to defining every single role: who do we want? Who is the best player to fulfil that role.”

He emphasised the need for clarity in squad selection and role definition, asserting that this challenging experience should be a turning point for Mott and Buttler.

While acknowledging the need for improvement, Key hinted at the possibility of leadership changes if another title defence mirrors the disappointing World Cup campaign. “If it isn’t, it isn’t, and you move on – but we have to make sure some good comes out of what has been a very poor World Cup,” he concluded.

In the face of adversity, Mott and Buttler find themselves with the support needed to chart a course for redemption, aiming to turn lessons learned into success on the cricket field.