Former Australia head coach Darren Lehman has opened up about rumours linking him with the vacant England Test coaching job. The veteran coach stated that the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has already identified Brendon McCullum's successor after his removal during the English summer.
Lehmann made the comments after guiding Northamptonshire to a record-equalling third T20 Blast title at Edgbaston on Saturday, July 18. Northants beat Hampshire by 14 runs in the final match. They won the T20 Blast trophy despite operating with a much smaller budget than many of their domestic rivals.
They've Already Made the Decision - Darren Lehmann on Brendon McCullum’s successor
Darren Lehmann, who recently extended his contract with Northamptonshire until 2029, said that he will not return to international coaching due to a busy schedule and family commitments. He added that the ECB has already chosen Brendon McCullum's replacement.
"I'm not sure my wife wants me to spend 300 days [a year] away again," Lehmann said. "I haven't spoken to them, so there's no point worrying about it. For me, if they've got rid of Brendon McCullum, they've already made the decision and got someone behind the scenes, because that's how it works."
The ECB announced Brendon McCullum's departure on July 12 after England lost seven of their last nine Test matches. The team also suffered a 4-1 Ashes defeat in Australia and a 2-1 home series loss to New Zealand. However, McCullum will continue as England's white-ball coach.
He's Been World-Class for Us - Darren Lehmann On David Willey
Darren Lehmann praised captain David Willey for his outstanding leadership throughout the tournament. The head coach said the 36-year-old skipper helped the team improve with every match and led the side brilliantly on the field.
"He's been world-class for us," Lehmann said. "He's led the team really well. I can't speak highly enough of Dave and what he's brought to the table as a leader."
"His attention to detail is second to none. The amount of phone calls I have from him - I ring him, or he rings me - is really quite weird half the time. For me, it's quite refreshing that you have a captain that's so driven to get his players better, and happy to make mistakes."
"He's one of the blokes I'd first pick in any side. I just love the way he goes about it. He's trying to get better; he's not standing still as a 36-year-old… That takes some balls to get better. That's something I'm really proud of him [for]."
Justin Langer, Stephen Fleming Among Contenders After Brendon McCullum's Exit
The ECB's search for a new Test coach suffered an early setback after Andy Flower ruled himself out of the race. Flower decided to continue his franchise coaching roles with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and London Spirit after holding brief talks with the board.
Other leading candidates, including former Australia coach Justin Langer and former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) coach Stephen Fleming, will be in the race. Fleming recently stepped down from his IPL coaching role and has expressed interest in the job if the ECB approaches him.
Jonathan Trott and Richard Dawson are among the names linked with the role. The ECB is expected to finalize the appointment before England will begin their three-match Test series against Pakistan later in August.
