LONDON — Former England captain Andrew Strauss is back in the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) as cricket committee chairman and will drive the development of the game at all levels as part of his new role.

The 42-year-old, who was knighted on Tuesday, stepped down as ECB's director of cricket last year to support his late wife Ruth's cancer battle and was replaced by former England spinner Ashley Giles.

"The ECB have been a vital source of support over an extremely difficult year," Strauss was quoted as saying by the BBC. "It's a real pleasure to return... I'm extremely passionate about developing and growing cricket in England and Wales."

In his previous position, Strauss appointed coach Trevor Bayliss, who guided the national team to their maiden 50-overs World Cup title in July.

"I've seen first-hand how this summer of cricket has inspired more people to fall in love with the sport and I can't wait to help build on its success," Strauss added. — Reuters