Ramprakash: Root and Fleming appointment chaotic but could form a useful pairing

Joe Root’s return as England captain and the delayed appointment of Stephen Fleming as head coach have been handled poorly in England’s Test setup, Mark Ramprakash wrote on 17 August 2026 ahead of the first Test against Pakistan. Despite the turmoil, Ramprakash believes the combination of Root as captain and Fleming as head coach could work well together.

Ramprakash draws on his experience as England’s batting coach during much of Root’s first spell as Test captain to assess the situation, praising Root as a grounded, diligent player who is “always first in the nets and last out of them.” He said Root is his favourite current cricketer, described him as a “fabulous player” with a strong work ethic and sense of humour, and expressed the hope that Root can enjoy his second stint as captain and avoid becoming overly consumed by the role. Ramprakash also argued that aspects of the environment fostered under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum are worth maintaining.

On Root’s previous captaincy spell, Ramprakash noted the advantage of having Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad available but suggested that reliance on them may have hindered the development of other bowlers and made Root less instinctive in captaincy decisions, leaving him at times “one over behind the game.” He said some on the sidelines felt Root, and possibly Alastair Cook before him, needed a head coach who would be more proactive than Trevor Bayliss’s relatively background approach.

Ramprakash outlined why the relationship between Root and Fleming will be crucial, describing Fleming as an experienced coach and former Test captain who should challenge Root, broaden leadership in the dressing room and encourage Root to trust his instincts and think more creatively on the field. He added that Root should be increasingly comfortable taking that approach in his second spell.

The article says England now have a mix of bowlers with high potential who are still defining their roles and spots, and that the return to Root ‘‘clearly reflects the lack of options’’ after Ollie Pope lost his place and Harry Brook endured a ‘‘rather eventful winter.’’ Ramprakash called the overall handling ‘‘a bit of a mess’’ and ‘‘a halfway house,’’ and criticised the management’s reversal on its previously aggressive philosophy following exposure in Australia.

Ramprakash wrote that Fleming will not be in place until the winter, calling that timing ‘‘both a shame for Root but also a poor look,’’ and noted the delay gives Marcus Trescothick an opportunity to develop as a head coach for the first two Tests against Pakistan. He wrote, "I am gobsmacked Rehan Ahmed is not being invested in here," and said Rehan should at least be in the squad as a spin-bowling all-rounder at No 7. He added that England have already announced that Dan Lawrence will be performing this role from No 6, bowling his part-time off-breaks, a decision Ramprakash described as limiting and ‘‘almost perplexing.’’ He welcomed Lawrence and Pope getting another chance and cited having seen Lawrence make ‘‘an excellent double century against Hampshire this summer.’'

Ramprakash warned England’s batters will need to adjust from recent white-ball batting in The Hundred, noting the differences in timing and stance and urging players to play later and tighter to the body this week. He recommended watching Root’s body language and tempo at the crease, saying Root is busy, looks to score, and constantly assesses conditions, the bowling and risk; Ramprakash added he is ‘‘amazed that more England players don’t try to copy him.’’

Fleming’s delayed start means Trescothick will oversee the initial matches, and England face the first Test against Pakistan with a squad selection and balance that Ramprakash argues leave unanswered questions about spin options and the team’s configuration for those opening fixtures.