Michael Vaughan believes Andrew Strauss should become the next ECB chairman and “drive-through change” for England’s Test team after Ashes 2021/22 drubbing.
ECB chief executive Tom Harrison has claimed the 4-0 thrashing England suffered at the hands of Australia in the Ashes is a “brilliant opportunity” for a reset and team director Ashley Giles is responsible for conducting a review into the defeat.
Michael Vaughan: Andrew Strauss Would Make A Great Chairman Of ECB
Andrew Strauss will play a key role in examining that report and currently attends ECB board meetings in a non-voting capacity in his role as Chair of the Cricket Committee.
Michael Vaughan believes Andrew Strauss is the right man to take over as ECB chairman, with the board still looking to appoint a permanent successor to Ian Watmore, having successfully spearheaded a major overhaul of England’s limited-overs side which culminated in the 2019 World Cup win.
“Andrew Strauss would make a great chairman of the ECB,” Michael Vaughan said.
“I think he is the person to drive through change. He was here four years ago and, after another 4-0 defeat to Australia, he wrote a report saying we need better pitches, and a different ball in county cricket. Nothing happened, possibly because he left soon after the tour.”
“He commands respect and knows exactly what is required. No county chairman would look at Strauss and say: ‘Sorry, I disagree with your views on red-ball cricket.’ He knows what needs to happen, and that enough is enough. The line in the sand with our white ball cricket was the 2015 World Cup and this is the moment for red ball cricket.”
Andrew Strauss is credited with leading England’s white-ball cricket overhaul that saw them becoming the ODI World Champion in 2019. Michael Vaughan feels he’s the right person “to drive through change. Drawing parallels between England’s disastrous show at the 2015 ODI World Cup and the Ashes 2021-22 thrashing at the hands of Australia, Michael Vaughan thinks this is the right time to revive red-ball cricket.
Michael Atherton Believes Andrew Struss Should Replace Tom Harrison
Michael Atherton also believes Andrew Strauss should be more involved at the ECB but feels he should replace Tom Harrison instead.
“Harrison is in the final stretch of a seven-year stint as chief executive, and is expected to leave within the next 12 months,” Michael Atherton wrote.
“Strauss is exceptionally capable and should be persuaded to take the job when Harrison goes. No one in English cricket is better qualified.”
The England team was seen without a fight barring the fourth Test match in Sydney, as they were battered and humiliated with increasing levels for the remainder of the four-Test matches. In Brisbane, England lost the series opener by 9 wickets. In a D/N Adelaide Test, Australia routed England by a massive 275 runs.
The humiliation was at its peak in Melbourne when England was bowled out for 68 and lost the Boxing Day Test by an innings and 14 runs when Australia had barely managed 276 runs in their only innings.
James Anderson and Stuart Broad batted out nervous four overs to secure a draw at SCG. The story continued in Hobart, in the second D/N Test, as England was thrashed by 146 runs suffering a collapse in the fourth innings which saw them going from 68/0 to 124 all-out.
Team Director Ashley Giles will submit the review report to the ECB while Andrew Strauss will play a key role in advising the board’s executives about the future of the England Test side. Coincidentally Andrew Strauss was the captain when England last time won a test match in Australia as they beat Australia by 3-1 in the Ashes 2010-11. Since then England played 13 Test matches and lost 12 of those, only one test ended in a draw.