Jonathan Trott ends excellent tenure as Afghanistan coach

Jonathan Trott ended his successful stint as Afghanistan coach after their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign came to an end in the group stage. After the final game against Canada, the former England cricketer known for his stoic batting approach reflected on the journey.

“Lots of great memories,” Trott said. “I always feel very fortunate enough to have had a lot of memories as a player but also now as a coach as well. Beating Pakistan for the first time in a World Cup, beating England, bilateral series wins away from home against teams like Pakistan, Bangladesh, South Africa, all these sorts of things. I’ve been very fortunate enough to have coached some really great players, some really good humans, a good bunch of guys.”

“Graham Thorpe was supposed to be the coach and he unfortunately couldn’t take up the role,” he admitted. “I then got offered the job and took it with both hands. But at the same time, Graham was huge in my development as a coach and he gave me great opportunities at the ECB and had full faith and belief in me as a coach. So I have a lot to be thankful for him for this role. So I’m here by chance. I gave it my all. I hope the players can see the love that I have for the game and the care that I have for them as players and as people.”

“I remember my first trip when we were in Ireland and I just saw things that made me realise that these boys are so talented and focused,” he looked back. “If you just add a little bit of structure to the mindset, professionalism and the high standards that we hold ourselves to, not individuals, it makes a big difference. I remember seeing Ibrahim Zadran for the first time, I remember seeing Azmatullah Omarzai for the first time, I remember seeing Rahmanullah Gurbaz for the first time and thinking, what amazing players. Let’s try and build on what we’ve got, this natural raw talent. That first tour to where we are now is chalk and cheese.”

”They all have very different stories. Being able to play for Afghanistan is a huge honour for them, so motivation is rarely the issue. It’s about adding structure and understanding day-to-day professionalism, which is not always as straightforward given the structures they’ve come from.”

Under his leadership, the Rashid Khan-led defeated Pakistan and England in the ODI World Cup 2023 and stunned the fraternity by qualifying for the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup in 2024.