England open door to Flower return after McCullum axed as Test coach

England have left the door ajar for Andy Flower to return as their Test coach after announcing Sunday that Brendon McCullum had been sacked from his red-ball role.

McCullum, who remains England’s limited overs coach, paid the price for a run of seven defeats in nine Tests, including a woeful 4-1 Ashes series loss in Australia.

The former New Zealand captain was retained as Test coach despite the Ashes humiliation but a recent 2-1 loss in England to his native Black Caps proved the final straw for the England and Wales Cricket Board hierarchy.

ECB chief executive Richard Gould told reporters at Lord’s on Sunday there is no requirement for McCullum’s successor to be English and they may also be able to combine the role while still retaining a position in the lucrative T20 franchise Indian Premier League

Zimbabwe cricket great Flower guided England to three Ashes series wins, including their last away triumph, during a five-year spell at the helm from 2009-14 that also saw the side climb to number one in the Test rankings.

Former England captain Nasser Hussain has urged the ECB to do everything they can to bring the “meticulous” Flower back on board.

One potential obstacle is that Flower is currently in charge of IPL franchise Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

‘Progressive’

But Gould, who insisted he’d had yet to have conversations with Flower or any other potential successor to McCullum, said the ECB were open to a possible job-share arrangement.

“I think you’ll find that we need to be progressive in these issues,” said Gould.

“Where we have players trying to balance between county, franchise and international cricket, we may have to do the same with our coaching staff and support staff, but that is something we’ll have to have a look at.”

Gould added an interim appointment may be needed for the upcoming three-Test campaign at home to Pakistan, although his preference was to have a full-time coach in place for a series opener at Headingley starting on August 19.

“Ideally, we’ll have someone in place for the Pakistan Test, but that also clashes with other franchise tournaments and international fixtures around the world,” said Gould.

“Therefore if we need to take a little bit longer to get the person we want, we’ll take that time.”

McCullum’s exit has followed the international retirement of former England Test captain Ben Stokes.

But England managing director Rob Key remains in place, despite vocal criticism from 2005 Ashes-winning captain Michael Vaughan.

Key has come under fire for overseeing a sharp decline in Test results as well as his handling of several off-field disciplinary problems, which led to new guidelines on alcohol being sent to England players this week.

But the former England batsman received staunch backing from Gould on Sunday.

“He has got a really good brain,” he said.

“He is a good communicator, he has got extraordinary knowledge of what goes on within our game in England and he has spent the last four years in one of the most difficult jobs in English sport.

“None of us are immune to results, whether it is coach, captain, director of cricket or chief executive.

“The key is whatever changes we make, they are the ones most likely to bring the most rapid resolution to results we want.”