EXCLUSIVE: Andrew Flintoff makes a return to England cricket after joining the coaching staff for the ODI series against New Zealand as a mentor

Andrew Flintoff returned to English cricket when he joined the coaching staff as a mentor for the one-day international series against New Zealand.

Flintoff, who was involved in a serious car accident late last year while filming the BBC’s Top Gear, has made a quiet reintroduction to the game this summer, keeping a low profile as a spectator at several Ashes Tests.

Since then, with the encouragement of his great friend and England chief executive Rob Key, Flintoff has spent time with the England Under-19s and took his biggest step yet on his return to the senior dressing room in Cardiff on Friday.

It is uncertain whether Flintoff will resume his television career after the accident in which he was seriously injured and had to spend five weeks in hospital.

But it now seems certain he will instead explore coaching and mentoring opportunities in the game that made his name.

Flintoff was in the senior dressing room for the first ODI international against New Zealand

One of the great all-rounders, Flintoff was an iconic symbol of the 2005 Ashes-winning side

Flintoff, 45, is one of English football’s great all-rounders and was an iconic symbol of the famous 2005 Ashes-winning side. In total he played in 79 Tests and 141 one-day internationals before retiring after England won. the ashes of 2009.

He made something of a comeback to T20 cricket in 2015 but was seemingly disillusioned with the game as he launched a highly successful television career that culminated in the hugely successful Top Gear programme.

But now he could become a more permanent figure in cricket again and he is so enthusiastic about his new role that he is unlikely to have asked for payment.