RCB coach Andy Flower (ANI Image)
Royal Challengers Bengaluru batting coach and mentor Dinesh Karthik believes Andy Flower would be a standout candidate to succeed Brendon McCullum as England Test coach but feels the Zimbabwean is unlikely to leave the IPL franchise due to his current commitments.England are searching for a new Test coach after McCullum stepped down after a disappointing career in red-ball cricket. While he will continue to oversee England’s white-ball teams, the Test team is looking for a new captain after the end of the baseball era.
Flower, who previously led England to the top of the ICC Test rankings and a recent Ashes victory in Australia, has emerged as one of the names linked to the vacancy. but,
Karthik
He believes balancing England’s Test calendar with Flower’s commitments at RCB will be very difficult.“In all seriousness, I think he would be a great candidate,” Karthik said on the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast.“He definitely has to be one of the names being considered, but I would be very surprised if he takes it, considering where England are and his busy schedule as well. He used to do a lot of leagues, and I’m sure he didn’t have the time. I read an article that said England would be happy to accommodate the Indian Premier League and then the rest of the Test cricket, but with the schedule being what it is, [it’ll be very difficult]. Like when
Jacob Bethel
He did not show up for the first test
Jofra Archer
Not being available, it caused a stir, and there were a lot of people saying, “Why?” Why isn’t one of the players there?”Karthik also questioned whether England could accept the Test coach’s absence from matches during the IPL, citing Flower’s commitment to Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
“With Andy Flower, with a pre-signed contract with RCB, which means he will miss parts of all those [Tests]. Would it be okay for England to prepare for the Ashes if they didn’t have a coach for a Test match or two? “I heard there is a Test match against Bangladesh in May next year and if Andy Flower is playing for RCB, that could be a challenge as well.”Despite these concerns, Karthik had no doubts about Flower’s coaching credentials.“Is he good? Absolutely. He’s probably one of the best players in the world, if not the best. Will he have the time? That’s the question. I’d be very surprised if the answer is yes,” he said.Flower joined RCB ahead of the 2024 IPL season on a three-year deal and has remained a key figure in the franchise’s coaching setup. While he is among the leading contenders to replace McCullum, Karthik believes the demands of international cricket and franchise commitments make such a move difficult to envision.