Luke Wright appointed England men's team selector, ends playing career
England all-rounder Luke Wright has been appointed as the team selector for the national men's team. The role was discontinued in the setup in April 2021, with the responsibilty being shouldered primarily by the team's managing director.
Ed Smith last held the position over 18 months ago under Ashley Giles' regime as the managing director. Rob Key, who took over from Giles following England's disastrous Ashes tour, had no intention to restore the position. He was in-charge of the selection calls along with the captain and the coach.
The decision to re-appoint a selector has been in the works for a while, with several candidates being considered for the post. Former players Alec Stewart and Steve Harmison were heavily linked with the role, but the role eventually went to Wright.
Introducing our new Men's Selector, @lukewright204 🤝
Wright will share the responsibility of selection with the likes of Rob Key, performance director Mo Bobat and player ID lead David Court for the national men's side, England Lions and the Young Lions.
His role will also involve scouting the extensive domestic network in the country for potential talent. Wright will work closely with the ECB's science and medicine team over player availability and programming too.
Expressing ihs delight on securing the role of national team selector, Wright said in a statement released by the ECB:
"It’s a huge honour and privilege to take on this role, one that I am incredibly excited about. With the Ashes and ICC Men’s 50-over World Cup next year, I can’t wait to get started and try to contribute after what has been a fantastic year for England men’s cricket.”
Wright is currently working with Auckland Cricket as their performance and talent coach. He will take over as national team selector at the end of March 2023, well in time for England's home season, which begins with a one-off Test against Ireland in June.
Luke Wright announces retirement from professional cricket
After undertaking the role with the England and Wales Cricket Board, Luke Wright, who represented England in 50 ODIs and as many T20Is, announced his retirement from professional cricket.
The all-rounder, who turned 37 in March, was part of the Sussex team. He represented the county in over 400 games, scoring over 16,000 runs.
T20 World Cup 🏆
County Championship 🏆🏆
Pro40 🏆🏆
T20 Cup 🏆
The only player to hit 5,000 runs in the T20 Blast 🚀
L E G E N D 🌟 https://t.co/uGuGlGJxNC
During his playing career, Wright played in multiple ICC events, plied his trade in franchise cricket, including the Indian Premier League (IPL). His last international appearance came in 2014 against the West Indies.
The all-rounder had a few parting words for Sussex, for whom he has played for since 2004. He said:
"I would like to thank everyone connected to the club for the support I've had ever since moving here. I gave my everything, and I hope that showed on the pitch."
He added:
"I would also like to thank my friends and family for the love, support and sacrifices they gave to make my career possible. And finally, my brother Ashley who has been my batting coach from start to finish. I will always be a Sussex fan."
England have already named their squad for their upcoming tour of Pakistan. The Ben Stokes-led side will play three Tests in the subcontinent, beginning on December 1. The team will tour South Africa and New Zealand before commencing their home season, which also includes the highly anticipated Ashes.
Will Luke Wright's appointment in the reinstated role of selector prove to be a game changer? Let us know what you think.