London, Jan 21 (NationPress) The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has announced the appointment of Troy Cooley as the new lead coach for the men's elite national pace bowling team. In this role, the Australian coach will focus on enhancing the skills of fast bowlers in both the senior men's teams and the developmental pathway squads across England.

Cooley, aged 60, takes on the responsibilities of coaching pace bowlers not only for the England men's team but also for the England Lions and Young Lions squads. He makes a return to this position after previously serving from 2003 to 2006, a tenure that included England’s remarkable Ashes victory on home soil in 2005. In 2021, he also played a pivotal role as the pace bowling coach during the Ashes and Lions tours in Australia.

His extensive experience includes 15 years with Cricket Australia’s National Performance Programme based in Brisbane. Most recently, he concluded his role as the fast bowling coach at the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, where he began in 2021.

Additionally, Cooley served as the bowling coach for the Indian women's team during the T20 World Cup held in South Africa in February 2023 and took on a similar role for the India men's A team during their tour of England in May-June 2025.

“I am proud of the foundation built in recent years and grateful to the BCCI team, led by VVS Laxman, for their support. Joining the ECB is an exciting opportunity to help shape the next phase of England’s pace-bowling future by integrating performance artistry with long-term developmental science,” stated Cooley.

“The pace bowling talent and identity of England are world-class. My objective is to fortify the alignment of pathways - focusing on technical standards, coaching language, and performance expectations – by merging practical coaching with evidence-based development, enabling bowlers and coaches to advance with clarity and confidence,” Cooley added.

His reintegration into the England setup coincides with the team’s current tour in Sri Lanka for a white-ball series, as they gear up for the upcoming Men’s T20 World Cup scheduled from February 7 to March 8.

“Troy is among the finest coaches globally, with a record spanning over two decades that speaks volumes. He has developed elite pace bowlers across various conditions, and his vast knowledge and experience will significantly benefit the England Men’s team and assist in nurturing the next generation of fast-bowling talent,” remarked Rob Key, Managing Director of England Men’s Cricket.