Former England batter Jonathan Trott has started a new coaching role with Cricket Ireland, ahead of the upcoming ODI series against Afghanistan. Cricket Ireland has appointed Trott as a short-term consultant for 14 days, to help the men’s team prepare for the important five-match ODI series, which begins next month. This is Trott’s first coaching role since he stepped down as head coach of the Afghanistan national team after the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. During his two-week stay he will work closely with Ireland’s players, and the support staff as well. He will also advise the team on matchdays during the first and second ODIs of the series, and yeah that part matters a lot. Trott’s appointment is being viewed as a key move, as Ireland continue their preparations for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier in early 2027. Trott Brings Plenty of Coaching Experience Jonathan Trott has built a solid coaching career after retiring from international cricket. Before taking charge of Afghanistan in 2022, he worked with England Under-19 during the 2017 ICC Under-19 World Cup, and earlier that sort of groundwork really shows. He also served as an assistant coach at Warwickshire, had coaching roles with Kent and Scotland too. His spell with Afghanistan was considered very successful. Under his guidance, Afghanistan reached the semi-finals of the 2024 T20 World Cup for the first time in their history. The side also impressed quite a few people with their performances during the 2023 ODI World Cup, no doubt about it. Because Trott knows the Afghanistan players and their specific style of cricket so well, Ireland believe his experience can help them fine-tune and prepare more effectively for the series that’s coming. Also Read | Watch: Jofra Archer's Perfect Delivery Sends Virat Kohli Back in IND vs ENG 1st ODI Graeme West Explains Trott's Appointment Cricket Ireland’s Director of High Performance Graeme West believes Trott’s arrival gives the team an extra edge before going up against Afghanistan. Graeme West said: “The upcoming One-Day International series against Afghanistan is critical to Ireland Men’s squads preparations for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier in early 2027. This is a rare opportunity to bring a world-class coach into the senior team environment offering a wealth of current knowledge on the opposition. “Having worked with the Afghanistan squad, Jonathan is perfectly placed to support our strategic planning for the series, providing our players and staff with a new perspective – expanding their skills, knowledge and understanding of 50-over cricket. “Jonathan’s value extends beyond player development; once he enters the training camp he will be able to share his wide range of leadership experiences with the coaching staff, outlining his philosophy working with world-class players and his methodology in managing an International team.” Ireland Aim to Continue Winning Form Ireland will head into the Afghanistan series with plenty of confidence, after their recent success against India. They made history by defeating the T20 World Cup champions in a two-match T20I series, finishing with a 2-0 clean sweep , which is not nothing. It was Ireland’s first T20I series win over India, and one of the most notable results in the team’s history. Now, attention moves toward the 50-over format, where Ireland will face another tough opponent in Afghanistan. The series gets underway with two matches at Bready on August 5 and August 7, and the remaining three ODIs will be played at Stormont on August 10, 12 and 15. With Jonathan Trott joining the camp, Ireland are looking to make the most of his familiarity with the Afghanistan setup. His background, planning approach, and understanding of the opposition could end up being pretty important as Ireland try to build momentum ahead of the 2027 World Cup Qualifier, while also continuing their recent upward climb in international cricket.