Afghanistan men’s head coach Jonathan Trott has publicly criticised the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) for leaving him out of critical team selection decisions — including the playing XI for the recent one-off Test loss to Zimbabwe — and failing to maintain any communication since the Asia Cup.
“The sad thing for me is that I haven’t been able to have any input on the squad. I haven’t had any communication with the top management of the ACB or with the chief selector,” Trott told Zimbabwe’s news outlet Sportscast.
The 44-year-old coach, who has overseen some of Afghanistan’s most significant recent achievements in international cricket, said he had attempted to reach the board’s top brass without success.
“I’ve been trying to get hold of them for the last couple of weeks. And the chairman, I’ve been trying to get hold of him and I haven’t been able to get any input back on the selection, not only for this squad but for the last few squads since the Asia Cup didn’t go our way. There has sort of been no communication at all.”
Afghanistan lost the Harare Test by an innings and 73 runs, prompting fresh scrutiny of their squad choices. Trott was quick to point out that he had no role in deciding who took the field.
“So that’s one of those things that I think as a coach, you should have a little bit of idea or a little bit of input. Certainly the playing XI, which for this game again wasn’t the case. When you don’t have that input, like I have had in other teams and other tournaments, it is really sad.”
Rashid Khan rested — a justified call, says Trott
Among the major talking points of the Test was the absence of star all-rounder Rashid Khan, who was rested by the board. Trott acknowledged the toll Rashid’s workload has taken, but suggested the outcome could have been different with the leg-spinner in the side.
“We need him to be fresh for the stuff coming up, certainly the T20 World Cup, so for me it’s understandable. It gives opportunities to younger players. It’s unfortunate they were not able to do it in this game. Hopefully they’ve learnt from the experience and will come back better players when they get the opportunity again.”
A successful coach now in limbo
Trott was appointed as head coach in July 2022 and has played a central role in Afghanistan’s rise in global cricket. Under his leadership, the team nearly reached the semi-finals of the 2023 ODI World Cup and broke new ground by making the semis in the 2024 T20 World Cup — their best-ever finish in an ICC tournament.
However, the uncertainty over his role is growing, with Trott himself unclear about his future beyond the upcoming T20 World Cup.
“Well, I don’t know, I’d like to open up communication. I’ve been told my tenure is sort of until the T20 World Cup so that’s obviously a couple of more months, then after that look if the job description has changed with regards to being the head coach. So my focus now is solely on gaining a bit of momentum, certainly the upcoming T20 series against Zimbabwe who are going to be tough to beat at home. It’s going to be great competition and a great series in the short format so that is exciting for us. That is what we can focus on in the short term and go from there really.”
ACB under scrutiny amid broader instability
The ACB’s lack of engagement with its own head coach has raised fresh concerns about internal dysfunction within the board. The timing is especially problematic as Afghanistan grapples with mounting political and security challenges off the field, including their recent withdrawal from a tri-series in Pakistan following deadly cross-border violence in the Paktika Province.
While the team prepares for its short-format series against Zimbabwe, the underlying uncertainty surrounding the coach’s authority and the long-term planning of the national setup remains unresolved.
Trott’s remarks now place public pressure on the ACB to address internal governance, clarify roles, and realign priorities — especially with a T20 World Cup just months away and a squad of talented players looking for direction.
