England appoints Stephen Fleming as Test coach, Joe Root returns as captain

By Sanjay Menon — 30 July 2026 — 3 min read

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has named Stephen Fleming as the England Men’s Test Head Coach, with Joe Root returning to the role of captain. Fleming is highly regarded in the cricketing world, having been associated with Chennai Super Kings for 18 years.

Fleming’s playing career saw him become New Zealand’s most successful Test captain across 111 matches. He also played for Middlesex, Yorkshire, and Nottinghamshire, where he captained Notts to a County Championship title in 2005.

As a coach, the 53-year-old led CSK to five Indian Premier League titles and reached the final 10 times. He also guided 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 will resume his role as England Men’s Test captain, working alongside Fleming. Root previously served as Test captain from 2017-2022 and took on an interim captaincy role at the Kia Oval during the Rothesay Test Series against New Zealand earlier this summer.

Fleming’s New Role and Transition

The ECB’s selection panel unanimously agreed on Fleming’s appointment after a thorough process. His role is set to commence after the start of the upcoming Rothesay Test Series against Pakistan.

During the series against Pakistan, Marcus Trescothick will act as interim Head Coach. This arrangement allows Fleming to spend time with his family in New Zealand after concluding his long-term association with CSK earlier this month. Fleming is expected to travel to the UK later this summer to prepare for the South Africa Test tour.

Fleming expressed his excitement about joining England as Test Coach, calling it one of the most prestigious coaching positions in world cricket. He looks forward to working with the players, including Joe Root and Harry Brook, and building on the progress made by Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes.

Root also shared his enthusiasm for returning to the captaincy, describing it as a rewarding job. He is motivated by the opportunity to lead the next generation of players and collaborate with Stephen Fleming, whom he considers an exceptional leader with extensive knowledge of the game.

Upcoming Fixtures and Team Outlook

The task for the new coaching and captaincy team is to improve the team’s performance, following recent results that include a 2-2 home draw with India last summer, a 4-1 Ashes series defeat in Australia, and a 2-1 loss against New Zealand.

The England Men’s Test team is scheduled to play a three-Test series against Pakistan. The first Test begins at Headingley on Wednesday, August 19, followed by matches at Lord’s from Thursday, August 27, and Edgbaston from Wednesday, September 9.

Rob Key, Managing Director of England Men’s Cricket, believes Fleming is the ideal person to guide the team and help them achieve sustained success. ECB Chief Executive Officer Richard Gould also highlighted Fleming’s proven track record in building winning environments.

After the home summer, England’s next Test fixtures will be a tour of South Africa in December. Following three Tests in South Africa across December and January, England will meet Australia in a day-night 150th-anniversary Test in Melbourne in March.

Source: ecb.co.uk