The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) took to X on Thursday (July 30) to confirm the appointment of Stephen Fleming as the new head coach of England’s men’s Test team. The former New Zealand left-handed batter and captain succeeds Brendon McCullum, who was sacked from the role earlier this month.
Alongside Fleming’s appointment as Test head coach, England also confirmed Joe Root’s return as Test captain. Root previously captained England in the longest format from 2017 to 2022 and holds the record for the most Test wins (27 wins in 65 matches) by an England captain.
According to an ECB release, following a rigorous recruitment process involving several high-quality candidates, the selection panel unanimously agreed on Fleming’s appointment.
Fleming 🤝 Root
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— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 30, 2026
The former Chennai Super Kings head coach will begin his tenure as England’s Test head coach after the upcoming three-match Test series against Pakistan.
Former England opener Marcus Trescothick will serve as interim head coach during the home Test series against the Babar Azam-led Pakistan side.
Fleming is set to travel to the UK later this summer to begin preparations for England’s Test tour of South Africa.
“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,” Fleming said in the ECB release.
A word from our new Men’s Test Head Coach 💬 pic.twitter.com/bNHZO7plFv
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 30, 2026
According to Fleming he is looking forward to work with the English players and build on the progress made by McCullum and Ben Stokes.
“I am looking forward to working with the players and building on the progress 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.
Fleming is excited to work with Root, who according to him is a generational talent and Harry Brook, who captains England’s white-ball teams.
“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 leadership will be an important part of this journey,” he added.
Meanwhile Root states that it’s a great honour and privilege for him to captain England again in Tests and he is excited to lead the next generation of players.
Welcome back, Captain Rooty! 🫡 pic.twitter.com/4ON5pFmKnu
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 30, 2026
“It is a great honour and privilege to be asked to be England Men’s Test captain again. The Test captaincy is a difficult but hugely rewarding job and, after enjoying a brief taste of it again while working with Brendon McCullum last month, I am excited to lead this next generation of players forward,” Root said.
“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.”
