- 7 minutes ago
New England head test coach Stephen Fleming on his vision for the future
19/09/2026
Old trafford CC, Manchester, UK
19/09/2026
Old trafford CC, Manchester, UK
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SportsTranscript
00:00A little bit at the back with the camera.
00:02Where are you?
00:03Yeah.
00:04Can you see the top?
00:05My mic for you.
00:10Fire away.
00:11Cheers.
00:11Stephen, good to see you in England.
00:13Can you tell us, when you accepted this job, why England and why now?
00:18It's one of the most prestigious jobs in cricket.
00:21And I was very honoured to be asked.
00:23The process was interesting.
00:25I came out of an 18-year role with Chennai.
00:30And certainly not expecting to have an opportunity like this.
00:32So it was not by chance.
00:34But it's always about timing, I guess.
00:37But, yeah, it took me a little bit of time to process leaving the shorter format.
00:43But the opportunity to take up this role was one that you don't turn down.
00:49Joe Root has spoken to me recently about how this summer has been a summer of chaos for England.
00:55And you'll have seen everything that's happened over the last few months.
00:59What kind of team, what kind of set-up do you find yourself picking up here?
01:04Yeah, it's interesting when you go to watch almost as a bystander for the first half of the year.
01:10And then, obviously, things change quite quickly to a real narrow focus on where the team was at.
01:17The opportunity that lay ahead, was I the right person to take this team forward?
01:23And then deemed by the ECB to be the right person.
01:26So that process was very thorough.
01:28And in the background was, yeah, I was constantly watching the good and the bad.
01:35And analysing that in a much different way than what I would have done sort of early April.
01:42How do you see the relationship as a split coaching job with Brendan?
01:46That hasn't always been easy for England.
01:48They've tried it a couple of times.
01:49It hasn't always worked perfectly.
01:51Lee, is it important or relevant that you guys are long-time friends, partners?
01:57Yeah, I think it's important.
01:58I think it certainly is going to help.
02:00And early discussions with the group has suggested that will be the case.
02:05Navigating resource schedules.
02:09You look ahead to the white ball program, and there is an overlap with the red ball going into South
02:15Africa.
02:16So managing that and workloads and players that we want to be performing at certain times.
02:22And we've got to be smart about that around key tournaments, marquee tournaments, and areas where we'll be judged.
02:30But that will be an advantage to be able to talk pretty openly and be robust.
02:35So the relationship is well on.
02:37We don't have to spend time getting to know each other as coaches.
02:40So it can be robust and in the best interest of England cricket.
02:44Mr. Bazzi, are you a big brother?
02:49Well, yes, you could probably say that.
02:51It's a challenge at times, but he's great.
02:56Obviously, a lot of shared experience through cricket and socially and sport and golf.
03:03And I have a lot of respect for him.
03:05So it's nice to be in a position to work with him.
03:08It's been a while.
03:09And to work on some of the things that both Brendan and Ben Stokes did with the English cricket team.
03:15It depends which timeline you want to talk about.
03:18But for me, the way they changed the nature of test cricket was quite remarkable.
03:23And I have a huge amount of respect for the courage that that took.
03:27Obviously, the last 12 months, it hasn't evolved as they would have liked and the fans would have liked.
03:32But I still acknowledge that that period for two years was quite remarkable.
03:36And as a lover of cricket, I was really impressed with how the England team went about that.
03:41One more from me.
03:44Can you sort of put some words in behind why you didn't come early?
03:49Why you weren't able to take charge of the Pakistan series?
03:52And do you feel like there's any element that you've missed a step and there's not that many test matches
03:57until we have an Ashes summer?
03:58Yeah, that's a fair question.
04:00But it wasn't on my radar.
04:01That's the first thing.
04:02So coming out, the process of leaving Chennai was one where I sort of front load the year.
04:08It's predominantly franchise cricket.
04:09So I would prioritise family and some commercial responsibilities that were there.
04:16And that had to change quite quickly.
04:18Managing those and looking to be available was the ideal.
04:22But it wasn't possible.
04:23I had to be true to certainly the family commitments that I had, which are really important to me.
04:28And also, it was getting to a point where it probably would have added to the chaos.
04:32It was sort of coming in late, where I felt that Joe, Marcus and the coaching team would be a
04:39much calmer opportunity for them to perform well if they were left to do it.
04:44And it worked out well.
04:45I thought they were brilliant.
04:46Marcus stepped up great.
04:47And Joe, obviously, his reintroduction to the captaincy couldn't have gone better.
04:51So I was rapt to see that.
04:53I wanted to sort of feel to be there.
04:55That's part of it.
04:56But what it has given me is a bit more time to understand the landscape, to get my house in
05:02order, so I can start the job fresh and with a better understanding of what's needed.
05:07Not ideal, but it's just the professional nature and, as I say, family responsibilities and some other responsibilities that I
05:16had to honour were there.
05:17And that's the way I am.
05:20Hi, Stephen.
05:21Hi, Chris.
05:23Other than winning Test Series, what's your kind of long-term vision and goal for this England Test Team?
05:29Look, I would love to be in charge of the number one Test Team in the world.
05:33That would be my aspiration.
05:35I know the marquee events, the Ashes, is something that I can't wait for.
05:40As a New Zealander, I have watched and loved the Ashes all my cricketing life.
05:46So to be part of that is an absolute highlight.
05:48So I can't help but get excited for that.
05:50But there's a piece of work there that's already begun, and that's around our identity.
05:59There's been a lot of coverage around that, and I think the way that players represent England and the group
06:05is going to be really important to me.
06:07The style of play will come with that also, and that'll be a little bit more player-directed.
06:12But I feel very strongly about finding a sense of belonging within the group, and that'll take a little bit
06:18of time.
06:19But we've started that bit of work with Joe.
06:20I've been in a lot of contact with Joe.
06:23And on this trip as well, we've done some things to start that piece of work.
06:27So that's really important to me.
06:28I don't want to go into too much detail of it, but it's something that we will work on.
06:32So not only will we be in the best position to win cricket games, but also represent the England cricket
06:38team in its best form.
06:42Other than speaking to Joe and Rob, I think, what have you been up to this week, and how did
06:46those discussions go?
06:47Yeah, it's been a tour of love.
06:48I've been kissing county coaches' heads, really, going up and down the country, meeting new players,
06:56reintroducing myself to what were the players that I played with who are now in coaching positions or positions of
07:02authority in counties.
07:03And I have a huge respect for county cricket.
07:06They were some of my best cricketing days at Middlesex, Yorkshire, and in particular in Nottingham.
07:12It sort of seems a bit romantic, but I stayed in love with the game at a point where I
07:17was getting a bit bitter with captaincy after a long period of time.
07:21And so I have a huge, deep respect for the county game and what it can offer.
07:27And it's a key part of, I think, England cricket.
07:29So to reconnect, do some miles on the M1, and just immerse myself in that in the last three days
07:37has been really good.
07:38There's some great talent out there.
07:40There's some really good people that are coaching the talent and seem really eager for the team to do well.
07:47And I really enjoyed it.
07:52G'day.
07:52Yeah, it's quite notable that you embraced county cricket these last few days.
07:57That feels like a departure from previous regimes.
08:01Is that something that you were conscious of?
08:03Was that advised maybe by Mick Newell or somebody else?
08:05No.
08:06Look, I love Mick and have a lot of contact with Mick.
08:11The connection came even with the Southern Brave a couple of years ago.
08:14There was a long time that I hadn't been in the UK.
08:16And when I came back and had the opportunity to coach there, I loved it and traveling around.
08:20And, no, it's born out of my love for it.
08:25I think my, yeah, my want just to cover, I'm pretty measured around my planning and what I do.
08:34And I think that's a big part of it.
08:35There's some key people, Mick's one of them.
08:37There's some key people that I've talked to quite a bit about this job already.
08:41And just having the opportunity to see them face-to-face was too good.
08:46Did you have a chance to speak to Ben Stokes on your travels?
08:49Yep.
08:50Yep.
08:50I went up to Durham.
08:52I spoke to Ben, which was good.
08:54I've worked with Ben quite a bit.
08:56I've got a really good relationship.
08:57He was in a good space.
08:59He just bowled another 20 overs for Durham.
09:02With success.
09:03He's really happy and seemed to be really at peace with his decision.
09:06So it was good to see him.
09:07So that's pre-empting the second bit.
09:09He's not going to be playing in the ashes, is he?
09:11Look, he seems really happy, comfortable with what he's doing.
09:14My view, when a player decides to retire, it's a big decision.
09:19And I have the utmost respect for that decision.
09:22So that's where it sits.
09:27What sort of style of test cricket can we expect to see?
09:30What does Flembal look like?
09:32I thought I'd get that in early.
09:34It's a medical condition.
09:38Look, let's say a bit of both.
09:40I'll go back to my point earlier about I really loved the positive play
09:45and the freeing up of the England players,
09:47which was deemed to be a bit of a hurdle.
09:51So if I could take that and combine a little bit of cricket sense
09:56around some key moments, the game is too tough.
09:58The other thing around it is that when you do something
10:01that changes the landscape, others catch up.
10:04And there's no doubt that the other teams all of a sudden
10:07put a lot of attention on how to stop England
10:09and to combat what they were doing.
10:11So there's a bit of an evolution piece.
10:13But the game itself will always overrule.
10:15And there are key times in a match you've got to be really smart.
10:19And maybe we can just work a bit harder on that.
10:22Still combine the positive nature of the players that are in there.
10:25And that is just cricket in general, I think,
10:26as the white ball generation comes through.
10:29So harnessing that, but trying to add some cricket sense
10:32and some smarts around the tough times
10:34so that the positive ones will win your matches,
10:37not just entertain.
10:38There's been quite a few sort of well-publicised disciplinary issues
10:42off the field with the England team.
10:44How will you approach that side of things?
10:47Is the slate clean for everybody?
10:48And are you a disciplinarian?
10:50To a degree.
10:51I think you acknowledge it's disappointing.
10:54The way it was summed up for me
10:56when I watched Joe in the press conference
10:59and when Joe Root voices his displeasure
11:01at the behaviour, I think that said it all.
11:04So there's work to be done.
11:06And it comes back to that identity piece
11:08and just making sure we're tying into something
11:11a bit bigger than oneself,
11:12which can hopefully help in that front.
11:18Brydon Castle's cleared.
11:19Well, no face, no action,
11:21Derbyshire Police said yesterday.
11:23Do you have a comment on that?
11:24Yeah, it's the first part of the investigation.
11:27There's a second part to it with the regulator,
11:31so a little bit difficult to comment.
11:34But again, it's disappointing that it's happened
11:36and that goes back to Joe's comments
11:40around the standards that he said.
11:42And if you want an example,
11:43a great example of how to behave as an international creator,
11:47Joe Root is that.
11:48So we've got someone right there
11:50who exhibits to me the behaviours
11:52that we're looking for.
11:55Hi, Stephen.
11:56You mentioned being here or being here late.
12:00You've also got some commitments, I think, going forward.
12:03Is that correct?
12:04How will your future look with England?
12:08I've got four T20s,
12:10which were signed at the start of the year
12:11that I have to commentate for,
12:12so I'll get some tips of methods.
12:14But, yeah, I have to honour that.
12:16But, look, the worst case,
12:17I'm watching two good cricket teams,
12:18which is part of my job anyway.
12:20So, yeah, I have to honour that.
12:22That's it.
12:22And in terms of your backroom team,
12:24we asked Marcus last week how his future looked.
12:26Can you confirm what your backroom team
12:29will look like going forward, please?
12:30Look, I'm clear on what I want,
12:33but it's a little bit more complicated
12:35when you look at the resource.
12:37And this is what I'm learning as well,
12:38is we have the three formats,
12:40but also the lines and the 19.
12:41So there's quite a big demand on who does what and where.
12:46So, look, I'm clear on what I require,
12:48but not at the point where I can share names.
12:52But we're well along the process.
12:55I'm guessing it would be a batting coach
12:57and a bowling coach underneath you,
12:58and are they the kind of – it would have been –
13:01No, we'd usually have a batting coach.
13:03Yeah, but I'm guessing the batting, bowling,
13:05and a fielding coach, would that be their personnel?
13:08Yeah, that's sort of your main core, isn't it?
13:10There are the physios, for example,
13:13who goes to where, Australia, who's going to be in Australia,
13:16who's going to come to South Africa.
13:18So the detail of that is something
13:21we've been working on the last two days.
13:22And you mentioned about going forward
13:24with trying to balance things up,
13:26obviously Australia and South Africa.
13:28Given it's an ashes year,
13:29would you expect to have the call on –
13:31for a big series like South Africa –
13:33to have the call on players,
13:35for people like, I guess, Harry.
13:37I know Harry's a captain of the white ball,
13:39but would you expect to have the strongest team
13:41available at the start of that South Africa tour?
13:43Yes.
13:46Hi, Stephen.
13:47You talked before about the talent
13:50and I suppose the resource within English cricket.
13:52You've had first-hand experience with the 100 as well.
13:55Do you think England have been punching below their way,
13:58given all that?
14:03Not necessarily.
14:04There have been some really good moments.
14:05I think there's more to give.
14:07And one of the dark arts of coaching is timing.
14:12And my honest appraisal,
14:15it's a great time to be the head coach.
14:17I think there's a real opportunity
14:19with the players that are coming through.
14:22You can use the fast bowlers as an example.
14:25I love watching them operate in the test series recently.
14:28And also the introduction of Cox and Lawrence.
14:31I thought it was nice when you've got someone like Bethel,
14:33there's talent there now that are going to compete for places.
14:36And that's always the barometer.
14:37If you're leaving very good players out,
14:40then you're going to be in a healthy situation.
14:43You've got your strategy right.
14:47And then it becomes a very good man management exercise,
14:50which can be difficult.
14:51But I'm a little bit bullish.
14:53And even around the county scene,
14:54there's some good names.
14:55There's some really good young players
14:57who might not quite be there yet.
15:00But that's where the 19s and the Lions
15:02are going to become really important.
15:04I was wondering as well,
15:05with your conversations with Baz ahead of taking the job,
15:08he was quite open with us in terms of,
15:10you know, it wasn't the way he wanted it to end,
15:12but he appreciated it and needed a new voice.
15:16What did he say to you in terms of
15:18what were the next steps with this test team?
15:23He, yeah, he was a little bit heart sore about it.
15:26He had aspirations, as you will do
15:28when you step into a job like this.
15:30But he was very open and honest about
15:34the opportunity that lay ahead.
15:36I think he was,
15:37I think that was one thing that probably will hurt him a little bit.
15:41I think he feels what I feel now,
15:43is that there's an opportunity around the corner.
15:45He was also realistic about what had gone on.
15:49And just very honest,
15:50our conversation, very honestly,
15:52was very glowing of the ECB
15:55and working and doing this job,
15:56which he's loved.
15:57It's been challenging
15:59because that was a question,
16:00is why?
16:01Why would I do it?
16:02Is it too hard?
16:04There is obviously some challenges ahead,
16:09but it's the appeal.
16:10We come back to that coaching aspect.
16:12There's a,
16:12both of us feel there's a real opportunity going forward.
16:17Hi, Stephen.
16:19How much of a challenge is it to go from
16:21coaching T20 cricket to test cricket?
16:24Excuse me.
16:25Bless you, Athers.
16:27Yeah, it's good.
16:28I've read some of that commentary.
16:31My DNA was based on test cricket.
16:35In fact, 97, Athers walked out beside me
16:37for my first test,
16:38giving me some advice around the toss,
16:41which he then won.
16:42It was good advice, Athers.
16:44But I inherently am a Red Bull lover,
16:49and that was where I learned strategy,
16:52leadership, captaincy,
16:54the nuances of the game.
16:55So that's how I was brought up.
16:57If anything,
16:58I moulded myself into the White Bull world
17:02based on man management
17:03and strategy and leadership,
17:04not necessarily as a White Bull strategist
17:08or a player.
17:10So I'm really looking forward
17:11to almost coming back
17:12to Red Bull cricket
17:13and having a little bit more time
17:15and probably more importantly,
17:16creating relationships
17:17that are a bit more than skin deep.
17:19And I say that with the greatest respect
17:20to the relationships
17:21that I've had over my years
17:23in franchise cricket,
17:24but you just don't have the time.
17:26So now to have time
17:27to work with a group of players
17:28over months and years
17:30really excites me.
17:31And you mentioned wanting
17:33to get to number one in the world.
17:35Where do you sit
17:36on the World Test Championship?
17:39Hi.
17:40It's aspirational.
17:43I think England could do
17:45much better in that
17:47and even attitude
17:48just around the overrate
17:50I think comes down
17:51to identity
17:52and style of play
17:53and if that's one
17:55of the pinnacle
17:56trophies in world cricket,
17:58why would we not
17:58be trying to get it
17:59along with every other
18:01marquee event
18:02that comes our way?
18:02Now, I don't say that
18:04there's a lot of hard work
18:05to do that
18:06and plays on
18:07my sort of balance
18:08around it.
18:09I come from New Zealand
18:09so we have to be
18:11underplay it,
18:12not overstate it.
18:13But it's aspirational
18:14and that's why I'm here.
18:16That opportunity is real
18:18but there's a huge amount
18:19of work to do.
18:22Great.
18:22Hi Stephen.
18:23You take over
18:24this test job
18:25at a time where
18:26the future of test cricket
18:28is,
18:29well there's a lot
18:30of concern over it.
18:31But how do you see
18:32the future of test cricket
18:33and how do you think
18:34you could take
18:35or what do you think
18:36England as a team
18:37could do to bolster
18:38the future of it?
18:40Yeah, I think they can
18:41keep entertaining
18:42and do it in a way
18:43that people respond to
18:45and that's certainly
18:46probably with a bit
18:47of respect
18:47and viewing this team
18:48a little bit differently.
18:50The health of the
18:51world game,
18:53that's a difficult question
18:54given the franchise
18:55environment
18:56and the amount
18:57of cricket
18:57that's being played.
18:58There's just not
18:59enough time
19:00and we are going
19:01to reach a point
19:01where something
19:02is going to have
19:03to give
19:03and it won't
19:05be test cricket
19:06because it just
19:07means too much
19:08to players
19:08and the cricket
19:11ecosystem will survive,
19:12test cricket will survive.
19:15The big countries
19:16have a responsibility
19:17just to make sure
19:19that it is nurtured
19:20all the way through
19:21but not to the point
19:22where it debilitates
19:23the big series.
19:24So that is a real challenge
19:25for the top brass
19:27but the congestion
19:28of cricket
19:29is more the issue.
19:30I'm just trying
19:30to find a pathway
19:32through but I'm
19:32confident that
19:33test cricket
19:34will still be healthy.
19:39Thanks.
19:40Thanks guys.
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