Captaincy and player fitness key issues for new England coach Charlotte Edwards

Charlotte Edwards is the new head coach of England Women, returning to take charge of a side she previously led as captain for 10 years.

Here, the PA news agency looks at the most pressing issues facing the 45-year-old as she begins her tenure.

Edwards’ predecessor Jon Lewis was not the only one to pay the price for England’s recent struggles, with long-serving skipper Heather Knight also leaving her role. Nobody knows more about what the captaincy entails than Edwards, who filled those shoes for a decade, and she must now be the driving force in nominating a new leader. The captain-coach chemistry will be vital to any rebuild, with Nat Sciver-Brunt, Sophie Ecclestone, Amy Jones, Kate Cross and Charlie Dean among those up for discussion.

Former England spinner Alex Hartley grasped the nettle after the team’s disappointing showing at the T20 World Cup, calling out her disappointment at the physical condition of the side. She received a few cold shoulders from her former colleagues as a result but had hit the nail on the head. Australia were faster, stronger, sharper and more fleet-footed in the Ashes and it showed. There are improvements to be made and it must be one of the first items on the new coach’s agenda.

One of the most recognisable features of Lewis’ reign were the refrains about inspiring youngsters, playing attractive cricket and entertaining packed houses. These are noble ambitions but all ultimately flow from the basics: scoring more runs and taking more wickets than the opposition. Rob Key has admitted England Men have been guilty of “talking rubbish” in recent times and the same can be true of this setup. A few reminders from Edwards about bringing some realism back would not go amiss.

Having spent the winter preparing to lead Hampshire in the new women’s tier one county season, Edwards is well placed to know what is out there beneath the current senior squad. It is clear that more competition is needed to freshen up the national team, or at least apply pressure to those within it, and the domestic revamp should be part of the solution. There are uncapped up-and-comers like Grace Scrivens and Davina Perrin, and others like Paige Schofield, Mahika Gaur and Seren Smale who are at the start of their international journeys. Them, and others, may benefit from a fresh pair of eyes.

The new era will start with three T20s and three ODIs against the West Indies in May and early June. While that is not exactly a gimme given some of the match-winning talent the islanders can call on, it is the kind of assignment England really should be taking in style on home soil. Lewis struggled to match Australia and failed at global tournaments but still managed to maintain a strong record in bilaterals, routinely racking up wins in front of the team’s own fans. With India coming later in the summer, this would not be the time to reverse that trend.