Former left-spinner Ashley Giles is all set to replace Andrew Strauss as England's new Director of Cricket with the announcement scheduled to be made next week on Monday, December 17.

The England and Wales Cricket Board(ECB) interviewed nine candidates before identifying Giles as their final choice after adequate negotiations which were at an advanced stage till Thursday, December 13.

The announcement can be made sooner than that, of course, if the talks reach towards a confirmed agreement quicker.

The development actually marks a return to the England set-up for Giles, who got sacked as coach of the ODI side in quest of a shake-up following the embarrassing 5-0 Ashes tour whitewash in 2013-14.

Since then, Giles has done a good job for Lancashire as well as becoming director of sport for his home club Warwickshire in December 2016.

The 45-year-old also led Warwickshire's resurgence and promotion to division one of the county championship last season.

It is learnt, as per The Telegraph, that Giles was always the front-runner to receive ECB's nod as neither ex-wicketkeeper-batsman Alec Stewart nor former captains Mike Atherton and Michael Vaughan applied for the job.