Ed Joyce is set for talks over his future as Sussex captain.

Joyce is keen to lead Sussex straight back to division one of the County Championship following their dramatic relegation on the final day.

But the 37-year-old batsman admits he would step aside if he thought a change of direction was required to inspire an instant return to the top-flight.

Joyce has been skipper since taking over from Mike Yardy in July 2012 and led Sussex to consecutive third place finishes in 2013 and 2014.

Luke Wright is one potential candidate to take over if Joyce does decide to step down and concentrate on batting. Wright became captain of the Twenty20 side this summer and led the Sharks to the quarter-finals for the first time in three years.

Joyce said: “It is a bit up in the air at the moment. I’ve done the job for three and a half years so I have to have a conversation with Mark Robinson and the coaches.

“There was some discussion midway through the season about whether someone else should take over as I was having a tough time (with the bat).

“I’d been away with Ireland from January to March at the World Cup and then went straight into a Championship campaign and it was hard.

“I was at a bit of a low point and wasn’t playing well but I found some form towards the end of the season and felt good.

“I still feel I have a lot to offer but whether the club want to go in a different direction I’m not sure.

“I’ve got to have a think too as going down might make me want to do the job even more or stand aside for someone else.

“I’m going to carry on playing for sure. I’ve got another year left on my contract and hopefully I’ll come back fighting fit next season.”

Sussex’s relegation to division two was confirmed on the final day of the season when they lost to champions Yorkshire and Hampshire won at Nottinghamshire.

It was a devastating end to a season which had started with so much promise but Joyce is confident they can bounce back at the first attempt like they did in 2010 when they won the division two title.

Joyce said: “It is never a good thing to be relegated but it is not a disaster either. In football it can be a disaster financially but it is not the same in cricket.

“The disappointing thing is that you can’t win the Championship if you are in division two. If you win the title you are effectively tenth.

“But what it does give you is the opportunity to play more of the younger guys in certain situations as there is not quite the same pressure on games with no relegation.

“We came back as champions very comfortably in 2010 and I think we have got enough in the tank squad-wise to challenge again but we need to be mentally ready as division two holds its own challenges.”

Sussex won three of their opening five games but picked up just one more victory – against relegated Worcestershire – as injuries to a succession of bowlers took their toll.

“It was a long journey home from Leeds on Friday,” admitted Joyce. “But it gave everyone a chance to have a good old think.

“We then had a meeting with the whole squad on Saturday morning to clear the air and talk about what had gone wrong.

“It was more to do with what we feel we didn’t do this year that we have done in previous years rather than who played well and who didn’t.

“We had good reason for optimism at the start of the season but the injuries really hurt us.

“It was quite draining trying to pick a team which you maybe didn’t quite feel would be able to beat some teams.

“We dragged it back towards the end of the season but fair play to Hampshire as they looked dead and buried. You end up in the table where you deserve to end up.”