Joe Root reappointed England Test captain as Stephen Fleming named head coach following Brendon McCullum's departure
Joe Root returns as England Test captain while Stephen Fleming succeeds Brendon McCullum as head coach; former New Zealand captain most recently coached Chennai Super Kings, leading them to 2023 IPL title; watch England's series against Pakistan live on Sky from August 19
Thursday 30 July 2026 12:13, UK
Joe Root has been reappointed as England Test captain, with former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming confirmed as the side's new head coach.
Root, the second highest run-scorer in Test history, captained England from 2017-2022 before being replaced by Ben Stokes, who announced his retirement from international cricket following a 2-1 series defeat to New Zealand in June.
The 35-year-old, who has captained England on a record 65 occasions - most recently when deputising for Stokes during the second Test against New Zealand - takes charge for an upcoming three-match series against Pakistan next month and is now set to lead his country into next summer's home Ashes against Australia.
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Fleming succeeds his former international team-mate Brendon McCullum, who was sacked as Test boss after the 2-1 series defeat to New Zealand in June but remains at the helm of England's limited-overs sides.
The 53-year-old will not start his new role until after the Pakistan series, with his first matches in charge to come against South Africa in December. Marcus Trescothick, who was an assistant coach under McCullum, will take interim charge.
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."
The immediate task facing Root, and Fleming when he takes up his role, is to revive a side that have lost eight of their last 12 matches across a 2-2 home draw with India last summer, the 4-1 Ashes battering in Australia over the winter and the recent era-ending 2-1 reverse against New Zealand.
Fleming recently left his role as head coach of Indian Premier League franchise Chennai Super Kings, having been in charge of the T20 outfit since 2009, the year after his distinguished playing career ended.
The delay in Fleming taking charge is to allow to him to spend time with his family in New Zealand following the IPL season, which ran from late March to the end of May.
Fleming said: "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.
"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."
England's tour of South Africa across December and January is comprised of three Tests, before they meet Australia in the 150th-anniversary Test in Melbourne in March ahead of next year's home Ashes series.
Fleming keen to 'develop' overlooked Brook
Having been made Stokes' deputy and taken over as limited-overs skipper in 2025, Harry Brook had appeared to be the clear favourite to be England's next Test captain.
However, Stokes' earlier than expected departure from a role that most had expected him to remain in until the end of the next Ashes, along with the contentious circumstances surrounding his exit, caused a rethink.
Stokes' decision came after he had been made unavailable for selection for the second Test against New Zealand in June after breaching a midnight curfew following England's first Test victory.
While it was Stokes who ultimately decided to end his tenure, the circumstances brought additional scrutiny to the idea of replacing him with Brook, who had been fined £30,000 by the ECB after being involved in an altercation with a nightclub bouncer during England's one-day international tour of New Zealand last winter, ahead of their Ashes series defeat.
Given questions around the culture and professionalism of the England team, the safe hands of Root were deemed a better option by the ECB when they needed to replace Stokes at short notice for the second Test.
With the additional question of how feasible it is for Brook - or any other cricketer - to handle the captaincy of England in all three formats, the ultra-dependable Root has made an unlikely return to the role.
It was notable that Fleming, in his first remarks following his appointment, commented on Brook as well as Root, with the former set to continue as vice-captain under the new leadership pairing.
"I'm particularly looking forward to working with Joe Root as captain - a generational talent who has achieved so much already," Fleming said. "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."
Key: England fortunate to get Fleming | Covid-free opportunity for Root
Just a day after the ECB sacked McCullum as Test coach on July 12, it was announced that Fleming's 18-year association with Chennai Super Kings was coming to an end.
While Andy Flower appeared to be the early frontrunner to return as England Test coach, Fleming's availability immediately made him an extremely viable option for the ECB.
Flower dropping out of the running soon after left Fleming, along with the likes of former Australia bosses Justin Langer and Darren Lehmann, among several high-profile names being linked with the role.
Fleming's appointment may, to some degree, have been influenced by a seemingly strong relationship with McCullum, with the pair having played international cricket together from 2004-2008.
While Fleming's head coaching experience has all come in white-ball cricket, his 111 Test appearances for New Zealand, along with County Championship stints with Middlesex, Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire leave little doubt about his knowledge of the red-ball game.
Fleming added: "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."
Fleming's appointment is surely a final roll of the dice for England men's cricket managing director Rob Key, who many were surprised survived England's Ashes humiliation in Australia over the winter.
Key said: "Stephen Fleming is one of the most highly respected figures in cricket, and we are very fortunate that someone of his calibre is willing to take on the challenge of being the England Men's Test head coach.
"I believe he is the best person to guide a team stacked full of potential and turn that talent into a world-class outfit that can not only achieve success but sustain it."
ECB chief executive Richard Gould added: "Stephen is one of the very best coaches in the world who has a proven track record of building winning environments for the long-term. We believe that his leadership style, alongside Joe Root, can drive the men's Test team forward."
Root returning to the position seemed highly unlikely given that, upon stepping down in 2022 after one win from his final 17 Tests as skipper, he revealed that his relationship with the role had become "very unhealthy" and cited the "toll" of his years in charge.
Key appeared to suggest the strain of captaining while Tests were played under Covid restrictions had contributed to the strength of Root's feelings at the end of his previous tenure.
Key said: "I am excited by the prospect of him (Fleming) working with Joe Root who will get the opportunity to lead free from the Covid restrictions that the Test team faced at the end of his first stint as captain. Joe is undoubtedly an England great and he is passionate about leading this team into a new era."
Butcher: Root reappointment a retrograde step for England
Former England international and Sky Sports Cricket pundit Mark Butcher believes reappointing Root is "a retrograde step" for the Test side.
Butcher told Sky Sports News: "Sadly, I'm not surprised. I was hoping that was a decision they weren't going to make. Joe has already captained England 66 times now after that game at the Oval in the middle of that chaotic New Zealand series.
"Ben Stokes, Brendon McCullum, Rob Key were the reaction to Joe Root's captaincy the first time around. This revolutionising the way we play Test-match cricket came off the back of 17 test matches with only one victory under Joe.
"Joe was completely wrung out at the end of his time as captain for five years. The best thing that happened to him and his game was not being captain anymore. His batting since has been on a different level and I rather hoped it would stay that way and he would be a loyal lieutenant to Harry Brook or whoever they decided was going to get the job on a permanent basis.
"I think it's a retrograde step for the team when they had an opportunity to go forward again having learned the lessons of the recent past under Stokes and McCullum. I cannot agree with that as a call.
"Joe is a brilliant player, absolutely sensational, there's nothing that you can say against him on that level. I just don't think it's the best move for him to be captain at this moment in time, or at any other moment in time actually."
England vs Pakistan Test series schedule
All times UK and Ireland, all games live on Sky Sports
- First Test (Headingley) - Wednesday August 19-Sunday August 23 (11am)
- Second Test (Lord's) - Thursday August 27-Monday August 31 (11am)
- Third Test (Edgbaston) - Wednesday September 9-Sunday September 13 (11am)
Watch the three-Test series between England and Pakistan live on Sky Sports Cricket from August 19. Stream cricket and more sport contract-free with NOW.
