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Former England cricketer Michael Atherton has suggested that Alastair Cook could be considered for a role as assistant coach after the Ashes, believing that a contrasting voice may help England reset standards following a disappointing period.
Atherton acknowledged that bringing Cook into the coaching setup would represent a significant change in approach, even describing it as "a complete clash", but felt that such a shift could be necessary at this stage. According to Atherton, England may benefit from hearing something different in the dressing room after a dip in performances over the past year. "It might be just time for that different kind of voice," Atherton said while speaking to former England captain Nasser Hussain on Sky Sports. He praised England head coach Brendon McCullum for his positive influence on players while also highlighting areas where England have fallen short. "What Brendon McCullum's great strength is, he makes players feel 10 feet tall and feel good about themselves, but I think we all agree here that, you know, standards have slipped a little bit in performance," Atherton noted. Atherton stressed that England needs someone who can help reinforce discipline and expectations, something he believes Cook could bring. "So somebody to drive a, you know, a culture of getting back to the standards that, you know, Ben Stokes just talked about there in the press conference I was sat in two years ago," he said. Reflecting on England's trajectory, Atherton admitted there has been a noticeable drop-off. "You know, results were strong, performance was strong, and there's no doubt in the last 12 months that has slipped, and he's aware of that. So it can't just be as we were, you know, no change at all. They've got to think about how to get back to where they were," he added. (ANI)
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