England has confirmed Joe Root as the Test cricket captain and appointed Stephen Fleming, former New Zealand batter and captain, as the new head coach. This announcement follows the departures of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum from their respective roles.

Root, England’s all-time leading run scorer in Tests, previously captained the team in a record 64 matches between 2017 and 2022, securing 27 wins. The 35-year-old returns to captaincy after Stokes retired from international cricket last month. Root will lead England in the upcoming three-Test home series against Pakistan, starting on August 19, 2026.

“It is a great honour and privilege to be asked to be England ‌men’s test captain again,” Root said in a statement. He added that working alongside Stephen Fleming is a significant motivation as he looks forward to leading the next generation of players.

Stephen Fleming, 53, who played 111 Tests for New Zealand and captained the team, will begin his coaching tenure after the Pakistan series. Until then, assistant coach Marcus Trescothick will serve as interim coach. Fleming acknowledged the prestige of the coaching position and expressed his honour at the appointment.

Fleming takes charge of an England side aiming to rebuild following poor results and off-field incidents that led to McCullum’s dismissal.

Sources