Soon-to-be Kent director of cricket Simon Cook still thinks there is life in his coaching legs as he prepares to start his new role.

Bowling coach Cook is set to replace retiring Paul Downton from the start of next month.

But that doesn’t mean the coaching days of the 46-year-old, who has been in charge of Kent Spitfires’ One-Day Cup squad for the past two seasons, are behind him.

Asked if the director of cricket position was one he always envisaged taking up, he replied: “Yeah - at one point in my life.

“It was one of those things to go for and goals to try and achieve.

“Life is not so linear that you can always do things in the stages that you want to do them in. I still feel I have some life in my coaching legs as it were.

“But when this opportunity came up, it was an easy decision to go for this because I get the opportunity to mould this role how I want it.

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“So I’ll still be able to get my coaching fix if you like while being able to develop strategy and move the club forward.”

When applying for the role, Cook made it clear to Kent’s board his intention to remain involved with coaching, too, and explained how he felt his potential continued presence around the first-team dressing room could help improve relationships throughout the club’s pathway.

He said: “It was one of the things that I said right up front was that, if it was going to be me, with the way the role was going to be structured, I would still probably play an active part [in coaching].

“There’s two reasons for that. One is from a selfish point of view. I quite enjoy coaching and feel I can still make a difference with the bowlers in particular.

“But the second part of that is actually being able to use me as a bit of a release valve for the other coaches to be able to work more with the second team during games and, also, down through the pathway.

“That means we get a bit more contact hours for our best coaches with our best youngsters in game time, rather than the current model where we see them through the winter. But as soon as the cricket starts, the first team tend to get isolated with their support staff and then you don’t see them.

“So you don’t get to see the continuation of that relationship you build in the winter because quite a lot of the learning happens in games.

“For me to be a release valve to allow some of the other skills coaches to work up and down the pathway is quite an attractive option.”

For now, Kent’s priority is their final three County Championship Division 1 matches of the 2023 campaign as they aim to avoid relegation.

Club captain Sam Billings hasn’t played any first-team red-ball cricket for Kent since he stood down as four-day skipper in June but the 32-year-old looks likely to at least be in the squad for the game against Nottinghamshire at Canterbury from tomorrow.

Cook said on Friday: “Sam trained today. I think he’ll be in the squad but I’m not sure if he’ll be in the final XI - I’m still the bowling coach!

“I’m not necessarily afforded that level of information just yet. But he trained and I guess he’ll be in the squad for selection.”

But India international leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has joined Matt Walker’s team for their season run-in.

Cook expects the 33-year-old to bring a big personality, as well as a lot of quality and experience, to their ranks. Chahal is the second Indian international to feature for them in 2023 after left-arm seam bowler Arshdeep Singh also played for Kent earlier in the summer.

“I think, with any overseas player, just them coming in gives the players a bit of a lift straight away,” said Cook.

“You’ve got an international-class leg-spinner who comes in. As I’m told, his character is very colourful. He’s a bouncy, bubbly, character and brings a lot to the dressing room.

“That’s one of the big things he’ll bring. An injection of enthusiasm for these last three games, which is vital, particularly in high-stress games.

“You need to take the pressure off a little bit sometimes and kind of express yourself in a way where you’re not fearing getting out or bowling badly, or losing the game.

“I think he’ll bring that level of enthusiasm and excitability which we need.

“Arshdeep brought that, as well, when he came in.”

Seam bowler Ben Lister was expected to be available for Kent but, instead, has been called into New Zealand’s One-Day squad to face England after Adam Milne was ruled out of the rest of the series with a hamstring injury.