England’s Ashes humiliation leaves Chris Silverwood’s shortcomings as head coach exposed

Sign up to our free sport newsletter for all the latest news on everything from cycling to boxing Sign up to our free sport email for all the latest news Sign up to our free sport email for all the latest news SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy As the knives point towards Chris Silverwood after England succumbed to a dismissal Ashes defeat following just 12 days of play across three Tests, it is probably worth reflecting how he ended up in charge of men’s team in the first place. Silverwood remains popular with his players – but his failures as a coach cannot be ignored There were clues things would end up this way, even when director of men’s cricket Ashley Giles hailed Silverwood as “the standout candidate”, after he had beaten higher profile names like Gary Kirsten to the role. Giles went on to praise Silverwood’s “intimate understanding of our structures and systems and his close relationships”. “What we have to do is look forward to the next two Tests, stay positive if we can and make sure we are there, we compete and we take something from this tour.” It could well be that Silverwood’s most important work comes in these final weeks.