Alec Stewart is not banking on a role in England’s post-Ashes rebuild, insisting “there isn’t a job to say yes or no to”.
The former England captain has resumed work as Surrey’s director of cricket having stepped away to care for his late wife and has just been announced as the new president of the Cricketers’ Trust.
As well as taking on the ambassadorial role with the independent charitable arm of the Professional Cricketers’ Association, he has been tipped as a potential candidate should the national side seek fresh off-field leadership in the wake of their damaging defeat in Australia.
And while he backs the England and Wales Cricket Board’s ongoing review, which promises to explore “tour planning and preparation, individual performance and behaviours”, he tiptoed around the idea that he could form part of the solution.
“There’s no jobs available so it’s a question that is not going to get answered,” Stewart said.
“I’ve come back into [Surrey] and got my feet under the desk again here but it’s a question I can’t answer because there isn’t a job to say yes or no to. All I want is Surrey to be the best and England to be the best. Simple.”
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On the probe that is under way into the Australian campaign, which was blighted by reports of excessive drinking and insufficient preparations, he added: “We can all have opinions but our opinions don’t matter because we are not the decision makers.
“It’s for those people who make the decisions at the ECB to review what they did and if they go, ‘no if we had that time again we’d do exactly the same’, good on them. If they go, ‘do you know what? We would’ve done a few things differently’, then they’ve learned and they’ll correct it for the next tour.”
Stewart inherits the presidency of the Cricketers’ Trust from David Graveney, stepping into an organisation that has put itself at the forefront of some of the game’s most challenging issues.
A five-year impact report covering 2021-2025 shows the trust provided mental health support to 239 current and former players at a cost of £489,000 – almost half its total outlay. Work also includes issues with substance abuse, addiction, bereavement as well as employment workshops for those leaving the sport.
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The family of Graham Thorpe, Stewart’s former Surrey and England team-mate who took his own life in 2024, are among those who have received assistance.
“Sadly Thorpe’s no longer with us, but what the trust did and is doing for the Thorpe family is outstanding,” said Stewart.
“He was a high-profile player but it’s not just somebody who’s played 100 Test matches, it’s somebody who’s played one first-class game, or was in the game, not quite good enough, and fallen on hard times. The trust is there to support those families.
“Anything I can do, I’ll do. We’ll always have to rescue people and support people but it’s about education. If you put your hand up and need help, that is a sign of strength. To admit you’re not perfect is a massive strength and the trust is there for you.”
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