Stephen Fleming appointed England Test coach with Joe Root as captain

Stephen Fleming has been appointed as England’s Test coach. Joe Root will serve as captain of the Test side.

Fleming, a former New Zealand captain, takes up the role leading England’s Test team following the announcement on 30 July 2026. The appointment pairs Fleming with Joe Root in the established leadership positions of coach and captain. The decision confirms the two men as the principal figures responsible for England’s Test cricket setup.

As England’s Test coach, Fleming will hold overall responsibility for the team’s preparation and match-day management in the longest format. The announcement names him specifically in the Test coaching role, making clear the remit is confined to Test cricket. His status as a former New Zealand captain is recorded alongside the appointment.

Joe Root has been identified as the Test captain and will lead the side on the field under Fleming’s coaching. The designation confirms Root’s position at the head of England’s Test playing group. Both appointments were presented together in the announcement dated 30 July 2026.

The arrangement establishes Fleming and Root as the central leadership partnership for England’s Test team. Their respective roles — Fleming as coach and Root as captain — are now official and in effect from the date of the announcement. The pairing sets the leadership framework for England’s Test matches.

The naming of Fleming as England Test coach with Root as captain finalises the team’s top-level management structure for Test cricket. The two will carry the responsibility for England’s Test performances under the titles specified in the announcement.