Root named England Test captain, Fleming appointed coach

Joe Root was named as England Test captain for a second spell on Thursday, with ex-New Zealand skipper Stephen Fleming appointed as head coach.

The announcements follow the sacking of Brendon McCullum as Test coach and the retirement of former skipper Ben Stokes from international cricket earlier this month.

Yorkshireman Root captained England in 64 Tests from 2017 to 2022 and took the role on an interim basis at the Oval during the recent series against New Zealand.

The 35-year-old is second behind India’s Sachin Tendulkar on the all-time Test scoring list, with more than 14,000 runs.

“It is a great honour and privilege to be asked to be England men’s Test captain again,” said Root.

“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 batsman described Fleming as an “exceptional leader with a great knowledge of the game”.

England are next in action in a three-match series against Pakistan starting on August 19, with Marcus Trescothick acting as interim head coach ahead of Fleming’s arrival later this year.

The ECB said Fleming, who led Chennai Super Kings to five Indian Premier League titles, was one of the “most highly regarded coaches in world cricket”.

“The ambition is always to win now,” said Fleming. “But equally, it’s about ensuring the team is well placed for the medium and long-term future.”

The 53-year-old added: “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.”

McCullum will remain in charge as England’s limited overs coach.

Managing director of England men’s cricket Rob Key, hailed Fleming as one of the most highly respected figures in cricket.

“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,” Key said.