Jonathan Trott appointed head coach of England Lions

Jonathan Trott has been appointed as England Lions head coach for the upcoming winter schedule, the ECB announced on Monday (September 21).

At the end of their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign, Trott stepped down from his position as the Afghanistan head coach. During his four-year tenure from 2022, the former England batter led Afghanistan to a historic first-ever Men’s T20 World Cup semifinal appearance in 2024.

Previously, Trott was an assistant coach with the England men's team during the COVID-19 pandemic and last week stood in as England Lions' head coach in their 2-0 T20 series win against Sri Lanka. the 45-year-old will now take permanent charge of the Lions for a busy winter schedule that includes tours of the Caribbean, South Africa and Sri Lanka.

“Jonathan Trott is an outstanding coach who has a proven record in international cricket," ECB Men’s Performance Director, Ed Barney, said. "We are delighted that he has agreed to lead our Lions programme during a busy winter.

“This winter’s Lions schedule has a 50-over focus across three tours as we look to prepare the next-in-line players for one-day international cricket. Alongside this, we have some key red-ball fixtures which will continue to provide opportunities to excel on the world stage whilst develop a broad skill set.

“Jonathan’s coaching expertise, and as a former England player who knows the value of the Lions programme having come through it himself, will be invaluable for those players as they look to progress their careers.”

Trott, a three-time Ashes winner, appeared in 52 Tests and made 75 white-ball appearances for England.

“I’m delighted to be back working in the England set-up and hugely excited to take on the role of Head Coach of the England Lions," Trott said. “Having played for the Lions myself, I know how valuable the experience can be in helping players develop, both on and off the field, and it played an important part in my own journey.

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