Marcus Trescothick looks to forge winning path as England prepares for crucial Tests against Pakistan

Marcus Trescothick, the interim head coach of England’s cricket team, expressed hopes for a smooth transition as the squad prepares for an intense winter tour in Pakistan. 

Following a disappointing one-day series defeat against Australia, England’s players face the daunting challenge of adapting from a damp home summer to the sweltering 40°C heat of Multan.

The English summer extended unusually late, concluding on September 29—an occurrence only matched once in history—culminating in a month-long T20 World Cup overseas. This packed schedule leads directly into a grueling pre-Christmas run, comprising three Tests in Pakistan, eight white-ball matches against the West Indies, and three more Tests in New Zealand. The tight scheduling has delayed the appointment of Brendon McCullum as the all-format coach until January.

Trescothick, who has returned to coaching after battling anxiety and depression that cut short his playing career, will work closely with the Test batters in Pakistan before leading the Caribbean tour. 

“We all knew what the schedule was,” Trescothick acknowledged. “It’s not ideal, of course not, but these things are put in place by those at board level. You’d want a little bit more time and a break before you go away, but it’s not possible.”

As the team heads to Multan, the stark contrast in temperatures from the UK has raised concerns. 

“It’s going to be 40 degrees in comparison to being here [in the UK], and we’ll get stuck into it straight away. Once we get past this period that has a tight amount of cricket, then it does calm down a little bit. Hopefully, we get through this [period] unscathed, and we’ll be OK,” he said.

Looking forward, Trescothick anticipates that key players, including Harry Brook and Jamie Smith, may be rested when the white-ball squad gathers again in October. Jos Buttler is set to return as captain, likely reclaiming the wicketkeeper role, albeit temporarily. McCullum has indicated a desire for Buttler to regain his enjoyment of the game after a challenging year in leadership.

“I expect him to find it really enjoyable going forward, having worked with Brendon,” Trescothick said. He believes Buttler’s recent calf injury, which sidelined him during the Australia series, could be a turning point for the captain. “There’s no reason why Jos won’t score millions of runs, captain well, and fit back into the team perfectly. This series has been a great opportunity for him, just to step back and not worry about the pressures of playing.”

Despite the likelihood of a diminished squad for the Caribbean tour, Trescothick remains optimistic about fostering a closer relationship between the Test and ODI sides. He supports the potential return of veterans Joe Root and Ben Stokes to the 50-over team, praising Duckett’s impressive first outing as an opener. Additionally, he emphasized the need for a cohesive bowling strategy akin to that of the world champions, Australia.

“Their best three bowlers—Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood—play the majority of their games, and they rotate the odd one out as they go. We’re building a stock of bowlers and we will position them how we need to,” Trescothick explained.

With the Test squad departing for Multan just 48 hours after the decisive ODI in Bristol, Trescothick will be joined by Brook, Brydon Carse, Jordan Cox, Duckett, Matthew Potts, Jamie Smith, and Olly Stone.