Trevor Bayliss set to Become England Coach

Amidst all the reports of former Australian pacer Jason Gillespie tipped to be the next England coach, it is the former Sri Lanka coach and Australian Trevor Bayliss, who seems to have accepted the position of England Coach.

Coincidentally, Bayliss was running for the position of England’s Coach last year too, but was ultimately pipped by the sacked Peter Moores.

Earlier, it was being reported that after Director Andrew Strauss was unable to convince former Middlesex team-mate and former Australian opener Justin Langer, Jason ‘Dizzy’ Gillespie, who is currently Yorkshire’s head coach was in the front running for the position.

As per reports, Bayliss’s England contract would be enabling him to earn more than what he does with his current deal at New South Wales (NSW), and as the coach of the IPL Franchise Kolkata Knight Riders. He may earn as much as £300,000 a year in the role.

Trevor Bayliss, who coached Sri Lanka and guided them to the final of 2011 World Cup, has also coached New South Wales to several Bupa Sheffield Shield titles, Sydeny Sixers to Big Bash titles and Kolkata Knight Riders to Indian Premier League silverware last year. Apart from that, he was Darren Lehmann’s understudy and coached Australia in T20’s last November.

Bayliss’ arrival as the England coach would mean that he reunites with the current England caretaker coach Paul Farbrace, who will be slotted back into the role of assistant, the position held by him under Moores. The two of them have worked together in the Sri Lanka set-up for two years, before Farbrace left to become director of cricket at Kent in 2009.

What also works in Bayliss’ favour, is the fact that there are 9 NSW players in the current Australian team, including Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazelwood. Bayliss’ insight could be more than helpful to tackle the key players of the Australian team.

Last year when asked about the prospect of coaching the England Team, Bayliss had said, “I am interested in hearing more about the job. I am happy doing the jobs I have got at the moment but when it comes to a position like that (England’s coach) I would be silly not to find out what they have to say and finding out a bit more about it. I have not met with anyone as of yet but that may happen in the near future.”

Bayliss accepting the offer would mean that NSW would have to scramble to find a new first-class coach, with senior assistant coach Phil Jaques too taking a role with Queensland less than a fortnight ago.