England have named former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming as their new men’s Test head coach and Joe Root as Test captain. Fleming is expected to bring his rich experience of playing cricket at the club and international level to a team that is in a new phase.
Flemming came out on top of a number of high-profile candidates and the England and Wales Cricket Board’s selection panel unanimously approved the appointment. He will replace Marcus Trescothick, who will be in charge of the England squad in their next Test series against Pakistan, and will come into effect after that match.
Fleming begins new chapter with England
Fleming joins the England outfit after a 18-year stint with the Super Kings franchise, where he led the Chennai Super Kings to five IPL titles and two Champions League T20 titles. The ECB appointed him because of his calm leadership and the vast amount of coaching experience he had.
England managing director of cricket Rob Key hailed Fleming’s credentials and stated that the former New Zealand captain was the ideal man to nurture the team’s talent. His success managing teams in various competitions has given him a wealth of experience to draw upon and the ECB are confident that he can assist England in creating a sustainable winning culture in Test cricket.
Root returns to Test captaincy
After Ben Stokes announced his retirement from international cricket in England’s recent series against New Zealand, Root will resume his Test captaincy role. The former captain already has more Test matches to his name than any other England captain, having managed 65 matches for England, winning 27 and losing 27 with 11 draws.
The 35-year-old batsman told Sky Sports that he was privileged to get another chance to captain England and was looking forward to his new coach, Fleming. Root also feels the new coaching structure will help to lead a younger generation of players and will provide a good platform as England start their next chapter in Test cricket.
New era for England Test cricket
The Fleming-Root tandem is a big step for England after the departure of McCullum and the retirement of Stokes. Fleming’s experience and Root’s knowledge of the Test format could give England a mix of stability and leadership as they seek to enhance their Test fortunes.
The ECB will be hoping that the new leadership team can quickly put its stamp on the side and start to create a competitive Test side. Now that Fleming is set to start after the Pakistan series, it will be interesting to see how he will mold England’s team and face the challenges that lie ahead.
