Stephen Fleming, appointed England Test coach in July 2026 to succeed Brendon McCullum, has said he believes the national side should ideally be led by one of its own.
Fleming acknowledged the sentiment even as he steps into the role himself. McCullum was removed as Test coach but remains in position as England’s white-ball coach. Fleming’s first assignment will be the tour of South Africa scheduled for December 2026. He was not involved when England played a three-match Test series against Pakistan across August and September 2026, so the South Africa trip marks his formal start in the job.
“I do believe that primarily the national team should be coached by a national representative. I’m grateful for the opportunity, but there will be some development in terms of the coaching, and you can see by our staff,” Fleming told BBC Radio 5 Live.
England have regularly turned to coaches from outside the country since 1999. Duncan Fletcher and Andy Flower, both from Zimbabwe, held the position at different points, as did Australia’s Trevor Bayliss and, most recently, New Zealander McCullum. English coaches have featured too, with Peter Moores serving two separate stints and Chris Silverwood occupying the role between 2019 and 2022.
Who has Fleming brought into the England coaching set-up?
Fleming has built a support staff that draws heavily on former England players. Marcus Trescothick, who opened the batting for England across a distinguished career, has joined the set-up alongside former wicketkeeper James Foster and ex-spinner Richard Dawson. Jonathan Trott, another well-known England name, will lead England Lions. Fleming spoke positively about the group he has assembled.
“There are some really key people who have come back into the system, and I’m really pleased about that. I look forward to working with them, but it is a real focus, and it’s an ambition as well that you will also get county coaches who will be introduced at certain times, and you will get past players that will be asked to come back as well. It’s really inclusive and a comfortable nature of using what’s around, but also driving what should be driven within the county game and the English game,” Fleming said.
What are Fleming’s broader plans for England’s Test cricket?
Beyond the immediate tour schedule, Fleming has described a wider vision for his tenure. He intends to bring county coaches into the national environment at different stages of the calendar and to call on former England players on a recurring basis as the programme develops. Fleming also plans to attend county cricket regularly during the English summer as England prepare for a home Ashes series.
“Yep, I’ll be around, and I really enjoyed this year getting to catch up. A lot of the guys I played with are now in positions either coaching or the head positions at counties. It was good to catch up with those guys and get a feel for where the county game is at. I really enjoyed it, and it will be a key part to continuing developing players,” Fleming added.
