Mark Ramprakash disappointed to leave England as batting coach ahead of Ashes

Ashley Giles has changed the set-up after a poor Test series with the bat against the West Indies

Mark Ramprakash admits he was disappointed to be relieved of his position as England’s Test batting coach and believes better preparation is key if the red-ball side are to improve their batting performances.

The 49-year-old former Test and one-day international player had been in the role since November 2014 but will not coach the side in this summer’s Ashes series.

England’s Test batting has been increasingly criticised after a series of collapses and below-par scores in recent months, including during their shock Test series defeat in the West Indies.

Ashley Giles, England’s new director of cricket, made the decision to change the setup and informed Ramprakash last week.

Ramprakash told the BBC’s Tuffers and Vaughan show: “It’s hard to say (whether it came as a shock) really.

“I found out Friday night. Err, yes (it was a straightforward conversation).

“The West Indies obviously didn’t go the way that we all hoped, we got out for a couple of low scores and we lost the first two games.

“I think any time there’s a change in management, I was signed under Andrew Strauss’ tenure as director, people come in with different ideas and there can always be movement.

“I’ve been hugely lucky, I’ve been in my specialist role for about five years now and no-one has an automatic right to have a job for life if you like.”

Mark Ramprakash has been moved aside (Getty)

Ramprakash, whose role is expected to be taken by one-day coach Graham Thorpe, believes the task of a batting coach and the game itself, has changed.

“I think the role has changed since we were playing. Everyone has their own take on how to do it,” he added.

“The first thing I realised when I went into the job was that you have to build trust and relationships with the players. I tried to build trust, support them, encourage them and at the right time challenge them.

“I’ve seen how cricket as a game has evolved incredibly.

“The guys are loving smacking the white ball. They are seeing it and hitting it a long way. It’s great fun and its great to watch.

“We haven’t got the same amount of players who place the same importance on doing the hard yards and being able to play the moving ball well. Perhaps we are seeing a shift towards white-ball cricket.”

England’s preparation for Test match series has been criticised in recent years, with a hectic schedule meaning little time for high-quality warm-up matches.

Ramprakash believes better preparation is key, as well as a domestic schedule that encourages red-ball batsmen.

“We had two two-day games out in the Caribbean on a tacky wicket, the match wasn’t first-class and you could argue that it perhaps lacked a little intensity,” Ramprakash said.

“Modern scheduling is so tight, we haven’t got that time. It puts a lot of pressure on, particularly the top-order players to find their feet.

Joe Root talks with Trevor Bayliss, Ashley Giles and Ed Smith (Getty Images)

“I guess a more uniformed, even spread of first-class cricket throughout our summer would be better.

“The Test side this summer have one four-day game against Ireland and then five back-to-back Ashes Test matches. If you don’t score runs in that first Test, second Test you are under pressure.

“The county scheduling, if we can get that a little bit more even I think it might give players a better chance.”

PA