Skin in the game: Rob Key on the future of English cricket

A new era was unveiled for English Cricket with Rob Key as the new Managing Director of ECB. The newly appointed chief stepped out for a media call with the ECB and revealed his aspirations for the future.

Key stood firm in his interview and displayed unwavering optimism.

The former cricketer revealed that while he was working with Sky Sports, he was constantly debating and discussing what needed to be done to salvage the state of English Cricket. 

“Let’s get some skin in the game,” said Key after he decided to step up as a candidate for the ECB chairman contention. 

“The opportunity had come up, and I thought, let’s see if I can make a difference.”

Key stated that he was on top of his work as soon as he joined the board, and ECB was on the path of setting a new structure. New coaches were appointed, and the long-debated Test captain was to be announced.

When asked about his plan for the red ball team, Key stated that he wanted to set a ‘mentality’. It isn’t just about winning a series for the chief; it is about what brand of cricket the country wants to play. 

“What they did with the white ball (cricket), yes, they wanted to win the World Cup, but actually what they did was very, very clear. What type of player you want. What brand of cricket you want to play. And that’s why that lasted longer. We need to do the same thing with the red ball,” Key added.

Key voiced that the Test team needs to start from scratch. So the players and coaches have a blank slate and a new beginning. 

Ben Stokes was recently appointed as the new red ball captain.

When asked how he would approach the white-ball side, the former cricketer stated that the White ball team know precisely what they’re doing. He explained that he would challenge the team and make sure the team keeps evolving. 

Everything is in place there to keep that team evolving. England currently stands at number two in both the ICC rankings for Men’s ODI and T20I teams. 

Key opined that the decision to split coaches was made because he felt that in this age of cricket, it is nearly impossible for one coach to manoeuvre both the white and the red ball team. 

“What it’s about is just getting the best person. We want to get the best people, but the split is very likely.

“I would love to take the whole country on a journey” was Key’s message for the cricket fans. He affirmed that he wants England to become the best in all formats.