MARK RAMPRAKASH had a reputation as something of a hot head during his playing days but now it tends to be only politics that gets the former England batsman’s dander up.

A devoted supporter of Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour Party, Ramprakash’s Twitter feed combines a mix of cricket chat with frustrated posts about the latest developments at Westminster or the White House. On the morning that we speak, Boris Johnston is about to be voted in as the next Conservative leader and Prime Minister.

“It’s Bojo…oh dear,” he would later post, a red angry face emoji removing any doubts as to his feelings. There is a school of thought that such an appointment could have far-reaching ramifications including a renewed push for Scottish independence.

“Hmmm, I can see why,” he starts. “But maybe today’s not the right day to go into that at length.”

Today is the right day, however, to talk about Scottish cricket and Ramprakash’s new role within it. The former Middlesex and Surrey player may seem like an unlikely ally of the Scots but the same perception problems that have hindered those trying to promote the game in this country also give Ramprakash cause for concern.

“I can completely understand why some people in Scotland would think cricket is elitist,” he says. “A lot of English people also have that same image. If you look at some of the English county academy teams, they will have 12 boys involved and all 12 will go to private school. Cricket is pretty much dead in the state sector. It’s really struggling there. So that is a problem.

“But the World Cup has shown how much fun it can be to play the game. Hopefully we can build upon that with people from all communities, inner cities or wherever it is, and whatever their background.”

Many might consider Ramprakash – 70 Test and one-day appearances for England – as part of that elite but he bristles at the suggestion.

“I’m someone who was born and grew up in London and went to a state school. I’m very lucky that I learnt my cricket from my parents and then my club. I didn’t go to a private school.”

He is moving into the next phase of his cricket career and it is a Scottish-based team that will benefit from the wisdom of his experience. After five years as England’s batting coach, he will assume full responsibility as the head coach of Edinburgh Rocks, one of six franchises set to compete in the inaugural Euro T20 Slam this summer. The concept of the tournament is to create sides that are a blend of overseas stars and local talent and Ramprakash is eager to get started.

“I think it’s going to be a very exciting tournament. You only have to look at the calibre of players that have been signed and the other coaches who are going to be involved, too.

“It’s a great opportunity for the Scottish lads, some of whom I already know and have seen play. One of the key things will be the integration between the local guys and the overseas players. We want it to be a happy camp. It’s a fantastic opportunity for the Scottish players to get to know some of the overseas guys and build new relationships, swap ideas and improve their game.”

Ramprakash sees potential in Scottish cricket. He shared the frustration at the recent World Cup being reduced from 14 competing nations to 10, and believes there is scope for Scotland to follow Ireland’s path to full membership. What the cricket landscape will be like if/when Scotland ever make it, is another matter.

“I was disappointed that the World Cup was restricted to 10 teams,” the 49-year-old says. “I thought that was a mistake. We’re trying to grow the game so we should be supporting countries who are investing in cricket. That was a missed opportunity.

“What is a challenge for Scotland is that a lot of cricket is based around the one-day game. We’ve seen a drop-off of players in England gravitating towards really wanting to excel in the longer format.

“At the moment everyone is occupied with one-day cricket and the ECB keep talking about The Hundred and how good it will be to get young people involved. So there is a real shift and evolution in the game and I don’t know where Test cricket will be in five or 10 years’ time.”

Cricket is not the only Scottish sport to occupy Ramprakash. A keen golfer, a recent invitation to play at Loch Lomond saw it “shoot up to the top of my list of favourite courses”. He is less pleased however, with Arsenal taking forever to conclude a deal for Celtic full-back Kieran Tierney.

“They can’t keep the back door shut – their defence is fragile,” says the life-long fan. “If you’ve identified a player you like the look of [Tierney] then you have to go out and get him. He’s young isn’t he? So it would be a long-term investment. I’m a bit concerned with where Arsenal are heading and not hugely optimistic about the new season.”

Mercifully, he is more positive about the future of Scottish cricket as a new chapter in his life unfolds.