England on Thursday announced former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming as their new Test coach with Joe Root appointed as skipper. Fleming recently ended his 18-year association with Indian Premier League franchise Chennai Super Kings, leading the team to 5 titles. Fleming succeeds former Kiwi teammate Brendan McCullum who was relieved of his duties as England’s red ball coach but was retained in the white-ball formats.
Fleming was New Zealand’s longest-serving (80 Tests) and most successful Test captain (28 wins). He played for Middlesex, Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire where also enjoyed success in captaining Notts to a drought-breaking County Championship title in 2005.
“Fleming is one of the most highly regarded coaches in world cricket following an 18-year association with Chennai Super Kings, and a playing career that led him to be New Zealand’s most successful Test captain in a career spanning 111 matches,” ECB said in a release.
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 USA as well as the Melbourne Stars.
“Joe Root returns as men’s Test captain to work alongside Fleming. Root holds the record for captaining England Men in the most Test matches (65 Tests) as well as to the most wins (27 wins). The Yorkshireman’s first spell as Test captain was from 2017-2022, he subsequently took on the role on an interim basis at the Kia Oval during the Rothesay Test Series against New Zealand earlier this summer. Following a rigorous process, which involved numerous high-quality candidates, the ECB’s selection panel unanimously agreed on the appointment of Fleming,” the release added.
Fleming’s role will begin after the start of the upcoming Test Series against Pakistan, during which Marcus Trescothick will serve as interim Head Coach.
This is to allow Fleming to spend time with his family in New Zealand after leaving his long-term association with CSK earlier this month. Fleming is set to fly to the UK later this summer to begin preparations for the South Africa Test tour.
“I’m incredibly excited to be joining England as Test Coach. 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,” Fleming said as per the release.
“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.I’m also excited to work with Harry Brook. 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,” he added.
