When Rob Key played his 15 Test matches for England, it was during the side’s rise from the gutter to the very top of the Test game.
The latter 10 of those matches included eight wins and one draw, as England charged up the rankings, eventually reaching No 1.
It would be inaccurate to suggest he played an essential role. He scored just the lone century – a double – in that time. But at least he was there while a transformation was taking place.
Now, after being named as the managing director of English cricket, he is tasked with bringing about just the same thing - raising a once proud side back to the top of the game.
Personal experience
Key’s appointment feels like a shot in the dark. He has always talked a very good game, both in the commentary box and in his newspaper column, yet has little management experience beyond his role as a captain of Kent in county cricket.
He does not fit the standard for a sports administrator. That might be no bad thing, but in his previous positions in the media he had all the power with no responsibility. There will certainly be pressure as he attempts to turn around a Test side in the doldrums.
His own playing experiences might prove valuable to draw on. He had a better career than the self-deprecating subtitle of his autobiography – “Tales of a Journeyman Cricketer” – would suggest.
Crucially, he was part of a highly successful England Test side, vacating the team just before they crested with the 2005 Ashes.
Captain
One of Key’s closest mates during his playing days with England was Andrew Flintoff. In the past, he has defended Flintoff’s own ill-fated captaincy stint, saying he was better than the reviews suggested and that he was handed the job at the worst time anyway.
Flintoff 2.0 – otherwise known as Ben Stokes – appears to be the only viable candidate to take over the job most recently vacated by Joe Root.
Along with Root, Stokes is one of the few guaranteed starters for England’s Test side – even if the captaincy would saddle an already overworked player with yet more responsibility.
Style of play
Stokes’ own experience of captaincy has been limited so far, and he appeared pretty unwilling to take the job on then, anyway.
This summer, England have the small matter of Tests against the world champions, New Zealand, then the postponed fifth game from last year against India.
Fashioning a match-winning side for two such exacting assignments feels a touch unlikely at present – a little like when Flintoff was given the reins of a bruised side in Australia in 2007 – and who were duly battered.
Long-term, though, Key is likely to favour a side committed to aggressive, attacking cricket. Perhaps the New Zealand side who first started their transformation under the bold leadership of Brendon McCullum will be the template.
Personnel
The idea that England’s teams are on separate pages when it comes to limited overs and Test cricket is summed up by their summer schedule.
Their ODI Super League series in the Netherlands finishes the day before the start of the third Test against New Zealand in Headingley.
Even a fit Stokes would struggle to keep up both those commitments.
Clearly, England’s white ball side – as 50-over world champions and realistic contenders in the T20 game – are the darlings of the game in the country.
Perhaps the Test side could benefit from pursuing players who are, it appears, well suited to the shorter formats.
The likes of Liam Livingstone, Harry Brook and even Will Smeed – who has played more Pakistan Super League matches than he has first-class ones in the UK – might have a future in whites.
Broad and Anderson
Talking of the future, is that definitely now behind Stuart Broad and James Anderson? England’s two leading Test wicket-takers were unceremoniously dumped before England’s lost series in the Caribbean.
Anderson says he has made his peace with it, but that he is craving one more go at it.
In his previous guise as a commentator, Key had suggested they are holding back the development of new-ball bowlers for England – but also that they deserved a fitting send off.
Now he has the power to make that happen, will he push for a recall for the two old greats?
