Troy Cooley returns as England pace-bowling lead coach
Tasmanian involved in 2005 Ashes-winning set-up back with ECB after 20-year gap
ESPNcricinfo staff
22-Jan-2026 • 10 hrs ago
Troy Cooley has worked with CA and the BCCI since leaving his England role in 2006 • Cricket Australia/Getty Images
England have brought Troy Cooley back into their coaching set-up more than 20 years after he played a key role in them regaining the Ashes.
Cooley, 60, has been appointed men's elite national pace-bowling lead by the ECB. He was England's bowling coach when they won the 2005 Ashes, leaving the following year to work in his native Australia.
His new role will see him take over responsibility for the "development and coaching of fast bowlers" across the England men's pathway, from Lions and Young Lions through to the senior teams.
"Troy is one of the very best coaches in the world whose record over more than two decades speaks for itself," Rob Key, the ECB's managing director of England men's cricket, said.
"He has coached and developed the best pace bowlers in all conditions and his vast experience and knowledge will not only benefit the England Men's team but also help to nurture the next wave of fast-bowling talent.
"This role will see him to work with pace bowlers and coaches at all levels of the men's professional game as we look to build a structure for sustainable success."
England have been without a dedicated pace-bowling coach since Jon Lewis left to take charge of England Women in 2022. Last year, they used three separate consultants in the role - James Anderson, Tim Southee and David Saker - and the move to bring in Cooley is understood to have been in the works for some time.
Cooley, after his initial three-year spell with England, spent 15 years working for Cricket Australia's national performance programme, before joining the BCCI as fast-bowling coach with the national cricket academy in 2021.
Cooley said: "I am proud of the foundations built in recent years and grateful to the BCCI team, led by VVS Laxman, for their support. Joining the ECB is an exciting opportunity to help shape the next phase of England's pace‑bowling future - bringing together the art of performance and the science of long‑term development.
"England's pace‑bowling talent and identity are world‑class. My focus is to continue strengthening pathway alignment - technical standards, coaching language, performance expectations - by blending practical coaching with evidence‑based development so bowlers and coaches can progress with clarity and confidence.