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Former England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff is reportedly set to take over as head coach of Sydney Thunder ahead of the upcoming Big Bash League (BBL) season.
According to international media reports on Thursday, Flintoff has won the race for the coaching role and is expected to be officially confirmed soon. The report added that the former England star edged out candidates including James Foster and Dan Christian for the position.
Sydney Thunder had been searching for a new head coach after parting ways with former England coach Trevor Bayliss, who spent five years with the franchise. Bayliss guided the Thunder to the final during the 2024-25 BBL season before his departure.
It’s worth noting that Flintoff has built coaching experience in recent years after working with England’s white-ball teams as a consultant during Matthew Mott’s tenure as head coach.
The 48-year-old has also coached the England Lions and previously led Northern Superchargers in The Hundred. However, Flintoff will not continue with the franchise in 2026 after reportedly failing to agree terms with the team’s new owners, Sun Group, who have renamed the side Sunrisers Leeds.
The former England all-rounder guided the Superchargers to fourth and third-place finishes during his two seasons in charge.
Andrew Flintoff also carries experience in Australian franchise cricket, having represented Brisbane Heat during the 2014-15 BBL season. Although he played only seven matches for the Heat, the stint marked the final chapter of his professional playing career spanning two decades.
During his international career from 1998 to 2009, Flintoff represented England in 79 Tests and 141 ODIs and was regarded as one of the leading all-rounders of his era.
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