Former Recent Zealand captain Stephen Fleming has emerged because the frontrunner to take over as England’s next Test coach, in keeping with the newest reports.
The England and Wales Cricket Board began to interview candidates last week to switch Brendon McCullum, who lost his role as red-ball boss after a poor run of form and 4-1 loss within the winter Ashes.
After former England chief Andy Flower ruled himself out of the running and Justin Langer this week revealed he had not been contacted by ECB, Fleming has jumped to the front of the queue after a round of interviews and appears set to be appointed as McCullum’s alternative.
The 53-year-old appears to carry a detailed relationship with England white-ball head coach McCullum after they played together on the international scene across a six-year spell.
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Few candidates
The Kiwi duo also co-founded digital platform CricHQ in 2015 and were coaching rivals for a period within the Indian Premier League, with Fleming’s Chennai Super Kings defeating McCullum’s Kolkata Riders in the ultimate of the 2021 edition.
That’s one among five IPL triumphs for Fleming, who left his role in command of Super Kings earlier this summer and has previously coached Southern Brave in The Hundred.
Fleming’s departure from Super Kings made him one among the few candidates for the Test job not in an IPL position after Flower and Langer hold vacancies.
Regardless that ECB chief executive Richard Gould insisted a job-share with a franchise wouldn’t be ruled out, it can have posed an issue for the Test against Zimbabwe next May.
PICTURE: Nick Potts/PA
Past association
Nonetheless, it could be one less issue to resolve should Fleming be appointed as anticipated.
Considered one of Fleming’s first tasks can be to announce a brand new England red-ball captain after Ben Stokes retired from international cricket last month.
Interestingly, Fleming has a past association with Stokes after they worked together at Super Kings in 2023.
Fleming would take over an England team down in fifth spot on the earth Test rankings, and not using a series triumph in 14 months and on a run of eight defeats across a 13-match spell.
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