England expected to appoint Stephen Fleming as Test coach

By Sanjay Menon — 29 July 2026 — 3 min read

Fleming emerges as leading candidate

Stephen Fleming, the former New Zealand captain, is anticipated to be named as England’s Test coach. This follows a series of interviews conducted by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) over the past two weeks. Fleming, aged 53, is expected to succeed Brendon McCullum, who was dismissed earlier this month.

McCullum was removed from his role after a period of inconsistent results and various off-field incidents. Despite this, he continues to lead England’s white-ball teams. Fleming’s appointment would see him work alongside his compatriot and former teammate.

Reports indicate that Fleming has been the top candidate for the position. Other individuals initially considered for the role, such as former England coach Andy Flower and former Australia head coach Justin Langer, have either ruled themselves out or were not contacted by the ECB.

Coaching background and experience

Fleming’s coaching career has primarily been on the franchise circuit since he retired as a player in 2009. He notably spent a significant period as head coach for the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

During his time with CSK, Fleming guided the team to five IPL titles from nine finals appearances, along with two Champions League T20 crowns. His coaching experience also extends to sister teams such as Texas Super Kings in Major League Cricket and Joburg Super Kings in SA20. He also spent two seasons coaching Southern Brave in The Hundred.

As a player, Fleming made 111 appearances for New Zealand in Test cricket, scoring over 7,000 runs. He remains the Black Caps’ most successful captain in Tests, with 28 wins from 80 matches. He also has experience in English county cricket, having played for Middlesex, Yorkshire, and Nottinghamshire, where he won the County Championship in 2005.

Fleming stepped down from his coaching roles with CSK, Joburg Super Kings, and Texas Super Kings this month. This decision followed CSK’s eighth-place finish out of 10 teams in this year’s IPL, and a last-place finish in 2025.

Impact on England’s Test team

If appointed, Fleming would be involved in selecting a new Test captain. This follows the retirement of Ben Stokes from international cricket in June. Rob Key, director of men’s cricket, and national selector Marcus North would also have a say in this decision.

Fleming would take over a team that experienced a strong start under McCullum, winning 10 out of 12 Tests in his first year. However, since then, England has lost 18 and won 17 of 37 Tests, and has not secured a multi-match series victory since December 2024.

It is uncertain whether Fleming will be in position to lead England for the three-Test series against Pakistan, which is scheduled to begin at Headingley on 19 August. There is a possibility that assistant coach Marcus Trescothick and former skipper Joe Root could serve as interim head coach and captain, respectively, for that series. Fleming is expected to be in place for the tour of South Africa in December.

The relationship between Fleming and McCullum is seen as an advantage, as they are described as friends and business associates. McCullum has previously spoken about Fleming’s tactical leadership and man-management skills as a significant influence on him.

Source: bbc.com