All-rounder Ed Barnard has been named as Warwickshire’s new club captain after Alex Davies decided to step down from the role.

The 30-year-old led the Bears in the One-Day Cup in the last two seasons and will now also do the job in the County Championship and T20 Blast.

He scored 922 first-class runs in 2025, and more than 1,600 in all competitions, and also took 29 Championship wickets.

“I’m very proud and honoured to be offered the chance to captain Warwickshire. I’ve really enjoyed working under Davo and hope to continue the progress the group has made over recent seasons,” Barnard told the club website, external.

“We have built an impressive squad, and with further additions made this winter, the competition for places is greater than ever. I know the group feels we can push very hard for silverware this season.”

Warwickshire finished fifth in Division One of the Championship last summer and reached the quarter-finals of the T20 Blast, but missed out on the knockout stage of the One-Day Cup after finishing fourth in their group.

Head coach Ian Westwood said: “Barney is a natural successor, and we are delighted he’s accepted the offer to become our next captain.

“He is not the loudest in the dressing room, but has the enviable quality of demanding respect through the way he conducts himself and offers his opinions in the right way.”

Davies said he had given up the captaincy to ensure he will be “firing on all cylinders” with the bat and wicketkeeping gloves this summer.

“I couldn’t be passing the Bears on to a better person in Ed. When asking him to be my vice-captain two years ago, it was clear to me that one day he was going to be a great captain, and it’s his time now,” he added.

Warwickshire start this season’s Championship on 3 April with a tough home game against Surrey, who won the title in three successive seasons from 2022 to 2024 before being pipped by Nottinghamshire last summer.