The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has confirmed the re-appointment of Australian fast-bowling specialist Troy Cooley as the men’s elite national pace-bowling lead coach, nearly two decades after his first stint with the English setup.
Cooley will oversee the development and performance of England’s fast bowlers across English cricket, working with England Lions and Young Lions to align technical standards and long-term coaching structures aimed at nurturing pace talent throughout the county system.
This marks a full-circle moment in Cooley’s coaching career. He was part of England’s coaching group between 2003 and 2006, a period highlighted by the historic 2005 Ashes triumph. Following his initial stint with the ECB, Cooley spent around 15 years with Cricket Australia’s high-performance programmes and later joined India’s National Cricket Academy as fast-bowling coach, contributing to both men’s and women’s cricket.
Reflecting on his return, Cooley said:
“I am proud of the foundation built in recent years and grateful to the support I received at the BCCI. Joining the ECB is an exciting opportunity to help shape the next phase of England’s pace-bowling future, bringing together the art of performance and the science of long-term development.”
He added, “England’s pace-bowling talent and identity are world-class. My focus is to continue strengthening pathway alignment, technical standards, coaching language, and performance expectations, so bowlers and coaches can progress with clarity and confidence.”
ECB Managing Director of England Men’s Cricket Rob Key praised Cooley’s appointment, saying:
“Troy is one of the very best coaches in the world whose record over more than two decades speaks for itself. His experience will not only benefit the England men’s team but also help nurture the next wave of fast-bowling talent.”
England are currently on a white-ball tour of Sri Lanka ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Led by Harry Brook, the Three Lions will play three ODIs followed by a T20I series, using the tour as preparation before opening their World Cup campaign against Nepal on February 8 at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium.
