Warwickshire's Ed Barnard: Captaincy will be a new challenge but we are ready for a big season

Barnard, 30, was last week confirmed as new club captain across all formats at Edgbaston, succeeding Alex Davies after his two seasons in the role.

County Championship action gets under way on Friday with a stiff test in a home clash against Surrey with Warwickshire - ambitious after their winter recruitment and with Chris Woakes ready to go - looking to lay down an early marker.

The decision to appoint Shrewsbury-born Barnard, who moved to the Bears from Worcestershire in 2023, as captain further highlights his standing at the club. The all-rounder previously captained Warwickshire in One Day Cup action but, after admitting he is “not the loudest”, he knows there will be leadership challenges along the way.

“I’m really excited,” Barnard says. “I think that's the main emotion at the minute.

“Hopefully not too much (will change) in terms of on the pitch. Hopefully I can continue the way I've been playing. I'm hoping it's not going to affect that.

“I’ve always tried to lead throughout the group, even when I didn’t have the title.”

Former skipper Davies, 31, decided to call time on his spell as skipper with head coach Ian Westwood suggesting the decision was made by the wicketkeeper for the benefit of the squad and his individual form.

It opened the door for Barnard to step up his responsibility in a squad not lacking experienced heads.

Barnard knows he has no shortage of wisdom and guidance to call on, but he acknowledges some decisions will be tough.

“I'm not sure whether it comes naturally, but it's something I've tried to learn and develop through my game,” he says.

“I'm not a huge talker. I'm not the loudest in the dressing room, but I try and lead through my actions, lead by example.

“The nice thing with this squad is we've got so much experience throughout it.

“I don't feel like I'm going to have to do too much on the pitch in terms of everyone knows their own game. It's just going to be the tactical side of it.

“We've got people like Woakesy around, Hainy (Sam Hain), Barkes (Keith Barker), Davo (Alex Davies) still around, you've got plenty of games and experience there to lean on.

“I'm hoping when we're out there and I'm batting and bowling I can purely be concentrating on that as much as I can. I'm hoping we can do something special this year.”

The personal challenge this season, he admits, will be how and when to “put your foot down”.

“I've learned to be a bit more forceful at times,” adds Barnard, who is three short of 6,000 first class runs having taken 344 wickets over his 10 seasons.

“As a leader you have to put your foot down sometimes or have those difficult conversations.

“One hundred per cent I think that's going to be one of my challenges moving forward.

“I'm going to have to have more of those difficult conversations and we've got a big squad.

“There's going to be some tough selections and there's going to be some people disappointed, but how you deal with those is obviously something I'm going to have to learn.”

There is a steely determination around Edgbaston that Warwickshire can improve on last season’s finish of fifth and a frustrating run of T20 Blast defeats on the spin.

“I think we've got an unbelievable squad here now, and I think there's a chance for us to go on and do some really good things,” Barnards adds.

“So to get the chance to go through all formats now is really exciting. I've really enjoyed working under Davo. He did a brilliant job and has helped to progress the team to where it is now.

“Hopefully I can take on that good work and take it forward.”

Shrewsbury School educated Barnard cut his teeth at his hometown club in the Birmingham League and represented Shropshire in the Minor Counties game.

He was raised in family steeped in cricket. Dad Andrew was a player for Shrewsbury and Shropshire and head of cricket at Shrewsbury School.

Older brothers Mike and Steve also played - and some of the Bears captain’s fondest memories are playing in his formative years.

Shrewsbury were National Knockout champions in 2011 with the Barnards influential and won three Birmingham League crowns in six seasons between 2010 and 2015.

“I look back really fondly on those years,” he says. “They were some of my favourite years playing, especially with my two older brothers.

“Shrewsbury Cricket Club holds a special place in my heart. Shropshire is a great cricketing county, a lot of names have come out of it in recent times, it shows the minor counties can be a great breeding ground and there is a path there.

“Likewise the school is where I did all my training, Paul Pridgeon was the professional at the time and my one-to-one coach, dad was there too, and it is where I learned my basics of the game I still hold true now.

“I wouldn’t change any of that for the world.”