Farbrace (in the middle) with skipper Joe Root and head coach Trevor Bayliss | Getty

England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on Saturday, February 16 confirmed that assistant coach Paul Farbrace will step down from his position at the end of the ongoing tour of West Indies as he joins county cricket club Warwickshire as sports director at the start of this summer. 

This development comes as a massive surprise because Farbrace was expected to be an integral part of England's coaching staff during their campaign in the ICC Cricket World Cup at home as well as when they face Australia in the Ashes. 

"I have been fortunate to taste some genuine success and be part of the development of some excellent players, who have the world at their feet this summer," Farbrace said in an official statement. 

Interestingly, Farbrace will replace Ashley Giles in the Warwickshire set-up. Giles was recently appointed as managing director of the English men’s team. 

"There is never a great time to leave an international set-up and despite what will be a fantastic summer for English cricket," he added, "the opportunity to shape the future of one of the game’s biggest counties was too much to resist."

"It would have been tough for me to have turned down the opportunity once Warwickshire showed an interest in me."

(Inputs from AFP)