Luke Wright will leave his role as an England cricket selector following next month's Twenty20 World Cup, marking the first major change in the England hierarchy after their comprehensive Ashes defeat in Australia.
Wright has cited the travel demands of the position with a young family as the reason for his departure. He toured with England during the Ashes but is not currently in Sri Lanka. He will fly out for the World Cup, with England's campaign beginning on 8 February against Nepal in Mumbai.
Wright was hired in November 2022, not as a traditional chair of selectors or national selector, but as part of a group including Rob Key, coaches and captains across formats. Speaking on the Sky Cricket Podcast last April, Wright said: 'Truth be told, at times captain and coach get exactly what they want. There might be a time when a player’s coming in that I get a final say, or Keysy does.'
In a statement, Wright said: 'The role demands significant travel and time away from home and with a young family the time feels right to pass the baton on to the next person. I would like to say a big thank you to my colleagues at the ECB, the players and coaches I’ve worked alongside and especially Rob Key, who trusted me with such a responsibility.'
Rob Key, the men's director of cricket, said: 'I have absolutely loved working with Luke. His contribution to English cricket has been exceptional and I trust his judgment as much as anyone. He has added so much more to this role than just being a selector. I’m very sad to see him go and I wish him and his family all the best for the future. I have no doubt that at some stage down the road he will enhance English cricket once again.'
