Former England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff looks set to make a surprise return to Australian cricket in the near future. According to reports the Ashes hero is on the verge of being appointed the new coach of the Sydney Thunder for the upcoming Big Bash League season. The report claims that Flintoff is in the final stages of a deal which would see him linked with veteran Aussie batter David Warner and youngster Sam Konstas at the franchise. This is not the first time Flintoff has been involved in the BBL having played for the Brisbane Heat in the 2014-15 season after coming out of retirement to play T20 cricket for Lancashire. Flintoff Has Coaching Background The 48-year-old has a recent coaching background to him. Since September 2024 he has been coaching the England Lions side and is supposedly under contract until January 2027. He has previously coached the men's team in The Hundred at Northern Superchargers in 2023 and was a consultant with England's limited-overs team. If appointed, then he will replace former Sydney Thunder coach Trevor Bayliss. Bayliss lead his side to the final during the 2024-25 season but left the club after poor seasons in 2023-24 and 2025-26 that saw his team finish bottom of the league. Flintoff arriving would also help Australia's cause in trying to boost the image and appeal of the Big Bash. His strong personality and international fame would garner much attention to the competition. Also Read | Sarah Taylor Named England Men’s Test Fielding Coach for New Zealand Series Ashes Rivalry and Personal Struggles Flintoff's appointment will be likely of interest in Australia, where the batter is one of England's most famous Ashes heroes. He was Man of the Series in the 2005 Ashes series and also captained England during the 2006-07 tour, which England lost 5-0. Flintoff also hit headlines last year following his admission of how close the serious Top Gear crash that nearly killed him on December 2022. He said: "As it (the car) started going over, I looked at the ground and I knew, if I get hit here on the side [of the head] then I'll break my neck, or if I get hit on the temple, I'm dead. The best chance is to go face down." Flintoff said he was scared straight away after the collision: "I thought I was dead, because I was conscious, but I couldn't see anything. I thought my face had come off. I was frightened to death."