Flower to step down as England coach after return Ashes series

England team director Andy Flower will reportedly step down from his post after the end of the return Ashes series starting in November in Australia.

According to the Mirror, following Flower's retirement, one-day coach Ashley Giles, who took over as coach at the start of this year, is expected to take control of the England team in all forms of the game from January 2014.

The report further said that the former Zimbabwe cricketer, who led England to three straight Ashes triumphs, a historic Test success in India and a brief spell at the top of the world rankings, will leave his post by mutual consent.

However, the report mentioned that despite Flower's impressive successes over the past five years, there is now a feeling within the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) that he has run his course, as there have been concerns that the team has been too cautious and negative under his leadership.

The report further said that it has also been suggested that England's cricketers have become too insular inside Flower's “team bubble” and has developed poor PR skills, with sources saying that despite Giles taking over, England needs a coach who will encourage a more positive approach to Test cricket if England are to regain world No.1 status.

There are suggestions that Flower could likely to move into county cricket coaching, where Surrey has a vacancy, the report added.