Andy Flower joins Australia as consultant for WTC Final and Ashes

Former Zimbabwe skipper Andy Flower will be assisting Australia in the World Test Championship final and the latter part of the Ashes 2023 as a part of their backroom staff. The former long-standing England coach will be with the squad for the WTC final against India before returning home but will once again be back in England for the second half of the Ashes, with Australia aiming to retain the Urn.

Flower was a part of the Aussie camp at the Oval on Monday during their training session ahead of Wednesday's final. Given the fact that he has a huge knowledge of England conditions, he would bring in an enormous amount of support to the Australian camp, coached by Andrew McDonald. 

The consultant role will make Flower the second Zimbabwean to be in the dressing room of both England and Australia following Graeme Hick’s spell as the Australian batting coach between 2016 and 2020. Hick had played 65 Tests for England.

Flower was the head coach of England between between 2009 and 2014 before serving as the team’s director later. Flower recently coached Lucknow Supergiants in the IPL 2023, and under his tutelege, the side made it to the playoffs as well.