India and Australia very good but England favourites for 2019 World Cup, says Jonathan Trott

Former batsman Jonathan Trott is keeping his cards close to his chest on predicting the winner of the 2019 World Cup, but feels hosts England have an edge

Former England batsman Jonathan Trott is keeping his cards close to his chest on predicting the winner of the upcoming edition of the World Cup to be played in his home country.

Indian team celebrates an Australian dismissal in their second ODI in Adelaide on Tuesday. (AP)

Trott, 37, is in Thiruvananthapuram and is presently the batting coach of the visiting England Lions cricket team who will play five one-dayers with the India A side in the city and also a four-day match at Wayanad.

In an exclusive chat with IANS, the former England batting great who played 52 tests, 68 ODIs and seven T20 internationals for his country, said it’s going to be a keenly contested world cup.

“It includes holders Australia, hosts England and India are very good teams too. At the moment England is the first ranked team in the ODIs and playing the world cup for the fourth time at home, chances are pretty high for England,” said Trott.

Trott, who called time on his cricketing career in the previous season and has taken to coaching post retirement, says cricket runs in his blood.

“I don’t think I quit the game early, I did play a lot and with lots of young cricketers waiting in my county Warwickshire I felt it was time for me to quit,” said the South African-born Trott.

“My father is currently coaching in New Zealand and also in England. I am pretty happy doing coaching as I like to work with young minds to shape their cricketing career,” added Trott, who began his cricketing career with centuries in his debut first class match and also in his debut Test in the 2009 Ashes series at the Oval.

Elaborating on coaching, he said all young minds preferring a career in cricket should first and foremost possess a natural liking for the game.

“If one has that, then what’s required is perfect discipline, work ethics and physical fitness. Technique is something that can be worked and then comes the natural progression by working on all the above,” expressed Trott.

On his future coaching plans, Trott said he is presently speaking to a few county sides and is expecting that very soon something will work out.