LONDON (CMC):
KIERON POLLARD is set to join England as a batting consultant for the defence of their Twenty20 World title next year in the Caribbean and the United States.
Media reports here on Friday said the 36-year-old former West Indies white-ball captain is expected to bring his knowledge of Caribbean conditions and pitches to the England think tank, for the June 4-30 campaign.
With the region notorious in recent years for its low, slow pitches, conditions are expected to play a key role in the tournament, and local knowledge will be an asset for visiting teams.
Additionally, Pollard is expected to easily settle into the management group as he is already acquainted with current England captain Jos Buttler with whom he played during a couple of stints with county Somerset.
Pollard abruptly retired from international cricket last year April while still West Indies captain, after presiding over a 3-0 T20 series whitewash away to India two months prior.
Despite his international retirement, Trinidadian Pollard has continued to feature in the global short-format franchise leagues, recently leading New York Strikers to the capture of the Abu Dhabi T10.
Pollard will bring his vast experience in the T20 format to the England set-up, the all-rounder having turned out in 123 One-Day Internationals and 101 T20 Internationals.
Overall, he has featured in 537 T20s, scoring over 12, 000 runs and taking over 300 wickets.
More importantly, he led West Indies in 39 T20 Internationals, including the 2021 T20 World Cup, and also featured in the successful 2016 T20 World Cup campaign when West Indies won their second title under now head coach Daren Sammy.
England only just wrapped up a five-match T20 tour of the Caribbean, going down 3-2 to West Indies in a hotly contested series.