England last combined the role of head coach and sole selector in the 1990s – it will be fascinating to see how it plays out
Chris Silverwood has preferred to keep a low profile during his time as England’s head coach but by now taking on the additional job of sole selector, and thus approaching something more commonly found in football and rugby, the spotlight will get a notch or two brighter.
In a year when the stated aims are clear – add the T20 World Cup to the trophy cabinet and regain the Ashes – the question of who is responsible for what has certainly been simplified. Joe Root and Eoin Morgan, respective captains of the Test and white-ball teams, remain central but by removing Ed Smith as national selector and transferring his powers to Silverwood, fewer decision-makers are now involved.
Related: Farewell, Ed Smith, the selector who was the victim of his own success | Andy Bull
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