Stephen Fleming appointed England Test coach, Joe Root confirmed as captain
Stephen Fleming has been appointed coach of the England Test team, with Joe Root restored as captain on a long-term basis.
As revealed by The Athletic last week, Root replaces the retired Ben Stokes as skipper starting with the three-match Test series against Pakistan next month, returning to the role he oversaw from 2017-22 and on an interim basis against New Zealand at the Oval earlier this summer.
The 35-year-old will take the team to South Africa, Bangladesh and Australia this winter, and will be in charge for next summer’s home Ashes series.
“It is a great honour and privilege to be asked to be England men’s Test captain again,” said Root, who has taken charge of more Tests than any other Englishman (65) and boasts the most wins (27). “The Test captaincy is a difficult but hugely rewarding job and, after enjoying a brief taste of it again working with Baz (Brendon) McCullum last month, I am excited to lead this next generation of players forward.
“The opportunity to do that alongside Stephen is also a huge motivator. He has proved over a long period of time that he is an exceptional leader with a great knowledge of the game, and I am looking forward to working with him and helping to build a winning environment.”
Fleming will take up his own position as Brendon McCullum’s replacement for that tour of South Africa in December, with assistant coach Marcus Treschothick taking the team on an interim basis against Pakistan.
Joe Root (left) replaces Ben Stokes as captain )Philip Brown/Getty Images)
Fleming, 53, scored over 7,000 runs in 111 Tests for New Zealand, captaining the side in 80, and had spells in English county cricket with Middlesex, Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire, whom he led to the 2005 County Championship.
After retiring as a player in 2009, he established himself as one of the most highly regarded coaches in world cricket.
He led Chennai Super Kings to a record five Indian Premier League (IPL) titles as a coach and reached the final 10 times across an 18-year association with the franchise. Fleming also led Southern Brave to the final of The Hundred men’s competition in 2023, and has coached CSK’s affiliate teams in South Africa and the United States, as well as the Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League.
“I’m incredibly excited to be joining England as Test coach,” he said in a statement. “It’s one of the most prestigious coaching positions in world cricket and I am honoured to be appointed.
“I am looking forward to working with the players and bedding in the gains made by Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes. Of course, the ambition is always to win now. But equally, it’s about ensuring the team is well placed for the medium and long-term future. There is a lot of young talent in and around the team and our aim is to help them fulfil their potential as world-class cricketers.
“I’m particularly looking forward to working with Joe Root as captain — a generational talent who has achieved so much already. There is still plenty more to come from him, and I’m excited to support him so he can enjoy and thrive in the role in what is a different context to his first stint.”
Stephen Fleming scored over 7,000 Test runs in 111 matches for New Zealand (Marty Melville/Getty Images)
McCullum, who was sacked after four years in charge following the 2-1 series defeat to New Zealand last month, remains coach of the England white-ball teams and enjoys a strong relationship with Fleming, whom he considered a mentor during the early stages of his own international career. Root’s appointment allows Harry Brook, the Test vice-captain under Stokes, to continue developing his captaincy skills in the white-ball game ahead of next year’s 50-over World Cup.
“I’m also excited to work with Harry,” added Fleming. “The best players are never finished products, and helping Harry continue to develop his extraordinary talent and his leadership will be an important part of this journey.
“I know what it feels like to have the weight of leadership and international cricket take their toll, and when that happened to me, my love for the game was rekindled by going to Notts and winning the County Championship. English cricket gave that to me and it is a privilege to have this chance to give something back.”
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) explored the candidacy of various coaches in the wake of McCullum’s dismissal from the red-ball role. The process was complicated once their first choice, Andy Flower, ruled himself out to carry on with his franchise commitments — primarily with Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL and London Spirit in The Hundred — but Fleming always featured high on their short-list.
The likes of Glamorgan coach Richard Dawson and the former England batter Jonathan Trott were also considered, but the ECB selection panel’s decision on Fleming proved unanimous.
“Stephen Fleming is one of the most highly respected figures in cricket, and we are very fortunate that someone of his calibre is willing to take on the challenge of being the England ben’s Test head coach,” said Rob Key, managing director of England men’s cricket. ”I believe he is the best person to guide a team stacked full of potential and turn that talent into a world-class outfit that can not only achieve success but sustain it.
“I am excited by the prospect of him working with Joe Root who will get the opportunity to lead free from the Covid restrictions that the Test team faced at the end of his first stint as captain. Joe is undoubtedly an England great and he is passionate about leading this team into a new era.”
ECB CEO Richard Gould added: “Stephen is one of the very best coaches in the world who has a proven track record of building winning environments for the long-term. We believe that his leadership style, alongside Joe Root, can drive the men’s Test team forward.”