Fleming, who left his longstanding role with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) earlier this month, has signed a four-year deal with the ECB that will take him through until the end of September 2030. The former New Zealand captain is familiar with the English game following playing spells with Middlesex, Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire – captaining the county to a Championship title in 2005 – and as coach of Southern Brave in the Hundred.
It helps, too, that Fleming has a strong relationship with Brendon McCullum, who remains white-ball coach having been stood down from the Test job. The pair are close friends and business partners.
His first move, however, has already been made in selecting Root as his Test captain. Root had been touted as possible short-term option for the remainder of the summer after Ben Stokes’ sudden international retirement at the end of the New Zealand series, with a view to deciding on the best long-term replacement between Root and limited-overs captain Harry Brook. But the ECB announced on Tuesday that England’s leading run-scorer will be back full-time in the role he vacated after a record 64 Tests between 2017 and 2022.
Root made a shock return to the captaincy for the second Test against New Zealand at the Kia Oval following Stokes’ breaking of team curfew that resulted in an incident in a Chelsea nightclub at the end of the first Test. At the time, Root said he felt “in a very different place” to when he gave up as captain, citing the stresses of the role. His return for The Oval saw an inexperienced side lose by 253 runs, allowing New Zealand to square a series they would eventually win with victory in the third Test at Trent Bridge.
“I’m incredibly excited to be joining England as Test coach,” Fleming said via an ECB statement. “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. 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.
“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 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.”
On his reappointment as captain, Root said: “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 working with Baz McCullum last month, I am excited to lead this next generation of players forward.
“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.”
Vithushan Ehantharajah is an associate editor at Cricinfo
