Pietersen Worried By Silverwood’s Lack Of Experience

Former England batsman Kevin Pietersen says the ECB has made a “brave” decision to hire Chris Silverwood due to his lack of experience. The 44-year-old was hired this week as a replacement for the departing Trevor Bayliss. In his final year in charge, Bayliss guided England to World Cup glory and a drawn Ashes series, but they now have a new dawn to look forward to.

Silverwood, a former Middlesex and Yorkshire star, was England’s bowling coach under Bayliss, but he is understood to have been promoted due to his relationship with captain Joe Root and the rest of the team. England director of cricket Ashley Giles says Silverwood was the outstanding candidate, but Pietersen says he is worried by his lack of international experience.

He told reporters: “It’s a brave decision from Ashley Giles. He doesn’t have any experience as a head coach of an international team at all. “So it’s an incredibly brave decision, but Ashley Giles has made some brave calls. I hope it works out for him. I absolutely adore Ashley Giles, he’s one of my very good friends.

“He looked after me when I came into the England team in 2004, and so we’ve got a great relationship, so I hope it works out for him. There were obviously some other contenders for the job, and he’s gone the traditional English route.

“I say it’s a brave decision because it has to work; with no experience or very limited experience as an international head coach, it can be deep waters to swim in to start off with. “I just hope for Ashley Giles’ sake and for Chris Silverwood, who is a really nice guy, for his sake that it works out.”