Paul Collingwood’s continued absence from England’s coaching set-up has raised eyebrows as the selectors once again turn to Australian David Saker to oversee the fast-bowling unit for this winter’s Ashes series.
Collingwood, who captained England to their first global title at the 2010 T20 World Cup and played a crucial role in the 2010–11 Ashes triumph, has been away from the backroom staff since the summer due to personal reasons.
The 48-year-old, widely respected for his fielding expertise and leadership, has not rejoined head coach Brendon McCullum’s team for the Australia tour and is expected to miss the series entirely.
In his absence, England have moved to strengthen their coaching ranks by recalling Saker, the Victorian who previously served as England’s fast-bowling coach between 2010 and 2015.
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His first stint included England’s last away Ashes victory and he has since worked with both England and Australia, most recently during the drawn 2023 series and the 2022 T20 World Cup triumph Dwon Under.
Saker will reunite with the squad ahead of their warm-up match against the Lions from November 13–15 and will work alongside Tim Southee for the opening Test in Perth on November 21.
Southee, currently employed as a specialist bowling consultant, will then depart to honour a playing contract in the ILT20 in the United Arab Emirates.
Paul Collingwood has been missing from England coaching duty in recent months
|PA
Saker will assume full responsibility for the fast bowlers for the final four Tests of the series.
The experienced Australian inherits one of the quickest pace attacks England have ever assembled.
Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue, Brydon Carse and Gus Atkinson all exceed 90 miles per hour, while James Anderson’s inclusion remains under discussion as McCullum seeks the right blend of speed and experience.
David Saker is returning to the England fold
|GETTY
The rest of England’s coaching staff remains unchanged, with Marcus Trescothick guiding the batters and Jeetan Patel handling the spinners.
Gilbert Enoka, the mental skills coach renowned for his work with New Zealand’s double World Cup-winning rugby side, will again join the group in the build-up.
His “no d******d” philosophy was credited with transforming the All Blacks’ culture and has already been adopted within McCullum’s England dressing room.
Enoka has been working with the white-ball squad in New Zealand this week, where his influence has been praised by captain Harry Brook.
“He brings a lot of knowledge on the mental side of the game,” Brook said.
“We’ve just done a session with him and it’s great to have him around. You can grab him for a chat any time and it really helps the group.”
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England haven't won an Ashes series Down Under since 2011
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Brook added that discussions with Enoka have encouraged him to become more flexible as a leader.
“I haven’t liked changing the batting order in the past,” he said.
“But having little chats with Gilbert has helped me see that sometimes those changes are vital for the team.
"We’re all here for the same reason — to win — and if it gets us closer to that, it’s the right decision.”
As England prepare for another Ashes showdown, Saker’s return offers experience and tactical familiarity, but Collingwood’s ongoing absence leaves a notable gap in both leadership and fielding expertise — one that McCullum and his staff will need to fill as they chase a first Ashes triumph in Australia in over a decade.