Stephen Fleming appointed England Test head coach as Joe Root returns as captain

The ex-Nottinghamshire opener recently stood down as head coach of the Indian Premier League’s (IPL) Chennai Super Kings, having also served as the coach of Joburg Super Kings in South Africa and Texas Super Kings in Major League Cricket in the United States.“I’m incredibly excited to be joining England as Test coach,” said Fleming, a friend and former team-mate of McCullum’s.“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.Read More“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.”Root took back the job temporarily for the fourth Test against New Zealand and it was thought to be between the 35-year-old and vice-captain Harry Brook - who skippers England’s white-ball sides - as to who would succeed Stokes on a full-time basis.Root previously captained England at Test level for five years between 2017-2022 before stepping down after a nine-match winless run that culminated in a 10-wicket thrashing by West Indies.At the time, Root said the decision to let go of the captaincy was the “most challenging of his career” but that it had “hit home how much of a toll it has taken on me and the impact it has had on me away from the game”.However, he evidently now feels the timing is right to step back into the role and help lead England into a new era. Root already holds the records for number of Tests as England captain and matches won.“I’m particularly looking forward to working with Joe Root as captain – a generational talent who has achieved so much already,” Fleming added.“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.“I know what it feels like to have the weight of leadership and international cricket take their toll, and when that happened to me, my love for the game was rekindled by going to Notts and winning the County Championship.“English cricket gave that to me and it is a privilege to have this chance to give something back.”Root will captain England against Pakistan in a three-Test series that begins at Headingley next month, with Marcus Trescothick serving as interim head coach for that series before Fleming’s official arrival.