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Former England captain will give coaching in Australia, signed a contract with this team for 2 years

Samira Vishwas | June 3, 2026 9:24 AM CST

Former England captain and legendary all-rounder Andrew Flintoff has been appointed the new head coach of Big Bash League team Sydney Thunder. The franchise made its official announcement on Tuesday. Flintoff has signed a two-year deal with the team and this will be his first coaching stint outside the United Kingdom.

Sydney Thunder has given this responsibility to Flintoff in place of Trevor Bayliss. Bayliss was the coach of the team for the last five seasons, but the team’s performance in the 2025-26 season was very disappointing. Sydney Thunder could win only two matches in the entire season and remained at the bottom of the points table. This was the second time in the last three years that the team finished last.

Flintoff becomes coach of Sydney Thunder
According to reports, the names of former Australian players Shane Watson and Dan Christian were also in the race for head coach, but ultimately the franchise reposed faith in Flintoff.

Excited about coaching offer: Flintoff
In his first statement after his appointment, Flintoff expressed his excitement about the opportunity. He said that becoming the coach of Sydney Thunder is a very special experience for him. He said, ‘When I got the opportunity to coach Sydney Thunder, I became very excited. I used to watch Sydney on TV in my childhood, but never thought that I would get a chance to come here and become the head coach of the team.

Flintoff said that his aim is not just to win matches, but to create an environment where players feel proud to be a part of this team. He said, ‘I want every player to say after the season is over that this was the best part of the year and this is a team he would like to play for again.’

Flintoff also captained England
47-year-old Flintoff has had a brilliant international career. He played 79 Tests, 141 ODIs and 7 T20 Internationals for England between 1998 and 2009. Due to his aggressive batting, fast bowling and combative attitude, he is counted among the most popular cricketers in the world.

Talking about coaching, Flintoff has previously been the head coach of Northern Superchargers in The Hundred tournament. He has also been in charge of the England Lions team since October 2024 and has guided the team in two tours of Australia. Apart from this, in 2023, he also worked in the coaching staff with the England senior white-ball team.

Now Sydney Thunder hopes that under the experience and leadership of Flintoff, the team will make a great comeback in the next season and will again emerge as a strong contender in the BBL.