Rob Key has a lot to work out and do with England

The team had only managed to win one of their last 17 Test matches which included the 4-0 defeat to Australia last winter in The Ashes series, which led to the departure of Chris Silverwood and Ashley Giles.

The tour against the West Indies failed to turn things around and has subsequently seen Joe Root decide to end his five-year spell as the captain of the team, leaving Key with a mammoth task and one that will instantly provide the former batsman with an incredible challenge that he will need to get right.

England is next in action against New Zealand in a Test series that starts in June, and whilst there will be some that will perhaps want to place a bet on the team by using the same real money casinos USA provides them with when playing their favorite games, there will be some that will be interested in seeing what the new managing director is able to achieve between now and then.

Who will Key appoint as the Test team coach?

As highlighted, Silverwood was relieved of his duties as coach of the England Test team, and a successor is yet to be appointed, thus leaving this particular major decision the first that Key will need to make and ensure he gets right.

However, it seems he could potentially go down a route whereby he splits the workload and has one coach specifically for the Test game and one for the limited-overs side of things. He previously stated on Sky Sports: “I would split the coaching. Not because it’s a lot of work but because it’s two very different teams at two different times.

“The [white-ball] team could do with a facilitator coach who can just keep delivering what they’re doing but challenge them. The Test team needs a completely different style of coach – a driver of culture and environment.”

Who will be the team’s captain?

With Root’s decision to step away from the captaincy of the Test side, Key will need to find a new captain to lead the team with the red ball. For many, there are not too many candidates that could easily fit into the role, whilst some also suggest the only person is Ben Stokes.

Stokes was Root’s vice-captain, therefore could be considered a natural successor, although that could depend on whether he actually wants to take it up or not. He has only just returned from an extended break from the game to “prioritise his mental wellbeing” whilst also mentioning he never “had an ambition to be a captain”.

What other decisions does Key have to make?

Unfortunately for the former England and Kent batsman, he still has other important decisions to make regarding the England team in the future.

He needs to consider whether to bring back a national selector or leave it with the coaching and playing staff, whilst he will also need to consider the futures of James Anderson and Stuart Broad. There is no denying their ability and the influence they have, however both are aging and the reliance on them to take wickets may only still be possible for a very short period of time.