(Photo: Reuters)
Warwickshire have named New Zealand international Jeetan Patel as the club’s new captain for the 2018 season.
Patel, who takes over from former England international Jonathan Trott, will captain the side in the County Championship and One Day Cup with Grant Elliot remaining in charge of the Bears in the T20 Blast.
The 38-year-old will lead the Bears as they begin life in Division Two of the County Championship, before potentially handing over to a player the club see as the next long-term Warwickshire captain, Dominic Sibley.
Director of cricket Ashley Giles is certain that Patel is the right man to take the club forward in their period of transition and expects him to help develop vice-captain Sibley into the ideal leader.
“Jeets is less overseas player and more Bear now,” Giles told BBC Sport.
“He has all the right attributes to lead this team. He plays all formats of the game, has a really good cricket brain and has the respect of everyone in the dressing room.
“We’re going to develop a young vice-captain in Dom Sibley. Jeets is the right man to start leading the transition we’re in and I think that will be a really good combination,” he said.
Jonathan Trott had taken over as captain after Ian Bell stepped down in August but Warwickshire are keen for both of the former England internationals to focus on their batting and have asked Patel to take on the role for 2018.
