Graham Gooch has been sacked as England’s batting coach effective immediately, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said yesterday, as the fallout from the side’s Ashes drubbing continued.
The former England captain joined the team as a consultant batting coach in late 2009 before taking up a full-time role in early 2012.
His departure was announced two weeks after Peter Moores returned as England coach to replace Andy Flower, who resigned following the whitewash in Australia in January.
“After discussions with [captain] Alastair Cook, he informed me that he was in favor of change,” Gooch, 60, said in a statement released by the board. “Although this was sad news, I respect his and new coach Peter Moores’ right to implement this change of direction.”
A veteran of 118 Tests in which he scored 8,900 runs, Gooch said Cook was still the best man to lead England despite presiding over the 5-0 Ashes rout.
“In my opinion, Alastair is the right man to captain England, he commands respect and will always put his body on the line for his country,” Gooch said. “He will face many challenges and have many more tough decisions to make before his journey ends. Over the last decade or so, he has been the ultimate professional.”
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