LSG head coach Andy Flower joins Australia's coaching staff for WTC 2023 final against India
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) head coach Andy Flower has joined the Australian think tank as a team consultant for the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023 final against India. The marquee clash is set to be played at the Kennington Oval in London, starting on Wednesday, June 7.
As per reports, Flower will also likely return for the latter half of the Ashes series against England, beginning on June 16.
Regarded among the best wicketkeeper-batters to ever play the game, the former Zimbabwean captain has also tasted much success in coaching roles around the globe.
Andy Flower has been the head coach of LSG over the last two seasons, leading them to playoff qualification on both occasions. Before that, the 55-year-old was England's Team director and head coach from 2009 to 2014.
Under Flower, the English team won three Ashes series, including the one in Australia in 2010/11, and also triumphed in the T20 World Cup at the Caribean in 2010.
Renowned among the best players of spin in his playing career, the former Zimbabwean Great was also instrumental in England's sensational series victory in India in 2012-13.
With the WTC final and the Ashes set to be played over the next two months, the Aussies will hope the addition of Andy Flower to the backroom staff dramatically improves their chances of winning.
Andy Flower's legendary playing career
Andy Flower was among the best wicketkeepers in the late 90s and early 2000s to play the game. The left-hander scored over 11,000 International runs in his illustrious career, including 16 centuries. The southpaw boasted a sensational Test average of 51.54 in a career spanning almost a decade from 1992-2002.
His finest batting performances were seen in the 2000/01 tour of India, where he scored 550 runs in two Tests, including knocks of 232* and 183* in back-to-back matches.
Flower also scored Test centuries against seven other Test-playing nations- India, Sri Lanka, West Indies, South Africa, Pakistan, England, and Bangladesh.
Andy Flower still holds the record for the most runs in an innings by a wicketkeeper, scoring an unbeaten 232 against India in Nagpur in November 2000.
His highest ODI score of 145 against India in the 2002 ICC Champions Trophy is also the highest score by a Zimbabwe player in any tournament. The 55-year-old was also ranked the number-one batter in the ICC rankings from October to December 2001.
Apart from his incredible batting accomplishments, Flower was also an excellent gloveman, evidenced by his keeping wickets in 55 of the 63 Tests played and effecting 151 dismissals.