Ben Stokes wants James Anderson and Stuart Broad back in Test team; pair ‘available for selection’, says Rob Key | Cricket News

Managing director of England men’s cricket, Rob Key: “Ben Stokes was very clear on the fact he wants Jimmy and Broady to come back in”; On head coach search: “No-one is out of the running so far and it’s for me – and the people I trust – to try and work out who the best is”

James Anderson and Stuart Broad are “available for selection” in the Test team, with new captain Ben Stokes keen for the pair’s return, Rob Key has told Sky Sports.

Anderson, 39, and Broad, 35, have 1,177 wickets in Test cricket between them but both were left out of England’s tour of the West Indies earlier this year, leading to questions over their future.

But when asked whether Broad and Anderson will feature for England this summer, Key told Sky Sports News: “Yeah, they will.

“Before it got announced I was doing this job, I rang them up and said to both of them that – in my opinion – you’re both available for selection.

“‘I can’t promise you you’re going to play, all that type of stuff, you’re just available for selection’. Then Ben Stokes was very clear on the fact he wants Jimmy and Broady to come back in.

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Managing Director of England Men’s Cricket, Rob Key says Ben Stokes was the stand-out candidate to become Test captain and the timing was right to appoint the all-rounder

“Now, it will be purely be done on what is the best eleven to win that first Test match, nothing more and nothing less. If they’re in that, which is every chance they will be because they’re two great bowlers, then they’ll play.”

Key added that both were keen to be back involved: “They were fine. They just want to continue on this journey they’ve been on and they just didn’t want it to finish in the way that it possibly might have done.

“They were obviously both very happy and pleased to be up for selection for that first Test match.”

Stokes will lead the team out for the first time as captain for the opening Test of the summer against New Zealand at Lord’s from June 2, the first game in a three-match series against the Black Caps which continues at Trent Bridge from June 10 and concludes at Clean Slate Headingley from June 23. England also face India and South Africa in Test cricket this summer.

‘No-one out of the running for head coach role’

It is not yet known, however, who will be England’s new head coach for those games, other than the fact the role will be split, with two appointments made to cover red-ball and white-ball cricket respectively.

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Managing Director of England Men’s Cricket, Rob Key says he will split England coaches across the different formats and that he is still considering possible options

Key said there are “lots of exciting options” for the role, adding no-one was yet out of the running but nor has he settled on any preferred candidates.

“We just want the very best people,” Key said. “We’ll do that and then we’ll build the structure around it.

“There are people who have applied from the job and, from what I’ve seen, there are lots of exciting options.

“I’m doing my digging on people now and I’m going around looking. There’s a lot of people I know in English cricket and world cricket. My job at the moment is just to try and work out a little bit about the ones I don’t know so much about, then see who I think is suitable to do that role.”

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Managing Director of England Men’s Cricket, Rob Key says he took the job simply to help England cricket

Former South Africa and India head coach Gary Kirsten is rumoured to be one of the favourites for the job leading the Test team, while Justin Langer – who led Australia to T20 World Cup glory and a 4-0 Ashes win over England over the winter – is another touted as a contender.

“There are a lot of people who people are writing about,” Key added. “Every morning I think I wake up and see who I’ve supposed to have been talking to.

Former South African and India head coach Gary Kirsten has been linked with the role as England’s new head coach in Test cricket

“I think Gary Kirsten would be very good at that job. I think all of the names I’ve seen in the papers would be good if they got the chance to do it, it’s just finding out who the best is.

“I’m sort of looking at everyone around, I haven’t spoken to people yet. I’m just doing the digging on these to see exactly what they’re like as coaches.

“No-one is out of the running so far and it’s for me – and the people I trust – to try and work out who the best is.

“To work with Ben Stokes, Eoin Morgan and whatever is going to happen with white ball cricket, two very different sides, it’s up to me to decide who the best is to lead England forward.”