Jonathan Trott’s Tenure as Afghanistan Head Coach Concludes

The tenure of Jonathan Trott as the head coach of the Afghanistan national cricket team has officially come to an end. The former England batter, who took on the role in July 2022, oversaw a period of significant growth and historic achievement for Afghan cricket.

In an official statement, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) confirmed the conclusion of his contract, commending Trott for his “outstanding service, unwavering commitment to the growth of the national team and Afghan cricket, tireless efforts, and professional conduct.” The board highlighted that under his leadership, the team secured “significant and historic victories, bringing pride and numerous accolades to the country.”

A Legacy of Giant-Killing and Progression

Trott’s tenure was defined by Afghanistan shedding their underdog tag and consistently competing with and beating the world’s best. His final match in charge was a fitting victory, as Afghanistan defeated Canada by 82 runs in their last game of the 2024 T20 World Cup.

Under his guidance, the team consistently “punched above their weight.” After a narrow miss in the semi-finals of the 2023 50-over World Cup a campaign that included a famous victory over England they went one step further by securing a historic semi-final berth in the 2024 T20 World Cup.

In an emotional interaction following his final game, Trott reflected on the journey, the team’s growth, and the deep bond he formed with the players.

“I’ll Always Be Very Fond of the Guys”: An Emotional Trott Reflects

On his best moments with Afghanistan:
“There are lots of great memories. I feel very fortunate to have had so many memories as a player, and now as a coach as well. Beating Pakistan for the first time in a World Cup, the 50-over game against England [in 2023], the two games in St. Vincent [in the 2024 T20 World Cup] that’s the stuff you dream of. But beyond the World Cups, there have been so many other achievements historic bilateral series wins, firsts like beating Pakistan, winning away in Bangladesh, beating South Africa. I’ve been very fortunate to coach some really great players, but more importantly, some really good humans. It’s a good bunch of guys.”

On the decision to part ways and his gratitude:
“It’s not my decision, so that’s all I’ll leave it at, really. Maybe the time’s right, maybe it’s not. I don’t know, but I wish everyone the very best in the future. I’m so thankful for the opportunity. I got it by chance, really. Graham Thorpe was supposed to be the coach, and when he unfortunately couldn’t take the role, I was offered it and took it with both hands. Graham was huge in my development; he gave me great opportunities and had full faith in me. I have him to thank for this. I gave it my all. I hope the players could see the love I have for the game and the care I have for them as players and as people.

The greatest joy for me in this job wasn’t just the wins; it was seeing the players develop off the field and seeing lives change. It’s about their ability to change their families’ fortunes and their family’s trajectory. Through this game, we’ve been able to see that, and to play a small part in it is incredibly satisfying. Forget the cricket—seeing young boys, when I took over, develop into fine young men is something truly worthwhile.”

On forging a team from diverse backgrounds into a strong unit:
“I could sit here and tell you so many stories of things I’ve seen with my own eyes… I said I didn’t want to get upset,” he said, fighting back tears. “I remember my first trip to Ireland, seeing things that made me realise just how talented and focused these boys are. The players deserve so much credit. They operate at such a high level compared to the resources they’re afforded compared to other nations. Yet, they come onto this world stage and compete, to the point where people now expect us to be in semi-finals and finals. That is amazing.

Think about it: they don’t have the same day-to-day coaching, the academies, the facilities, the structured schooling that young players in other countries have. I was thinking today, if I hadn’t had that upbringing, all that coaching, I’m not sure I’d be able to stand on a field in front of 20,000 people and execute. The amount of coaching I received versus what these guys have had to get to international level is chalk and cheese. I take my hat off to every single one of them. The level they operate at will always amaze me. Watching from afar, I’ll always be very fond of them and want them to do well.”

On the biggest challenge of coaching Afghanistan:
“My job was to show them I care and have empathy for their situations. Nothing is ever straightforward, and having that understanding is huge. It’s been a great education for me as a coach, learning to understand different characters. The guys are so resilient; they all have different stories. Playing for Afghanistan is a huge honour for them, so it’s never hard to get them motivated. The challenge was in getting them to understand and apply the basics day in, day out. Because of the unstructured environment they come from, the concept of a disciplined, routine professional structure is foreign. Adding those layers to their immense natural talent isn’t as straightforward as it might be with players from more established cricketing nations. That was the great challenge.

But there were so many times I left net sessions thinking how much I enjoyed it, because I was able to coach, and the players wanted to be coached. I don’t think that happens everywhere in the world.”

On the personality and mentality of the squad:
“The one thing I always said to them was: whenever you come up against the opposition, you look them in the eye and you take them on straight away. Whether it’s here at the ground, at the hotel, or if you’re in a lift with one of them you never, ever think, ‘they’re from a major Test nation, we’re inferior.’ No, we take them on. I think the players enjoyed having someone encourage them to be confident in themselves and constantly believe they are good enough to win every single game, in any condition. The other side of that is what we’re seeing now: the players learning to balance that expectation. In the last year or so, you’ve seen the shift you’re not always the underdog anymore; you’re now expected to win.”