England Test head coach Stephen Fleming wants to “be in charge of the number one Test team in the world” – and believes red-ball captain Joe Root is the perfect man to get them there.
Fleming was announced as the successor to Brendon McCullum after the former New Zealand wicketkeeper was relieved of his red-ball coaching role following a home series defeat to the Kiwis earlier this summer.
Long-time Test match skipper Ben Stokes announced his retirement from international cricket in the final Test match of the series with New Zealand, with Yorkshire batter Root taking the captaincy for a second time.
Root previously captained England from 2017-2022 before being replaced by Stokes following a torrid run of just one win in 17 Tests.
Marcus Trescothick was put in interim charge for the home Test series with Pakistan, which Root’s won convincingly, taking the series 3-0 in a whitewash.
Root admitted he was in regular contact with Fleming throughout the series with Pakistan – and the new England coach admits he can’t wait to begin working with the legendary batter.
Great example
Fleming told Sky Sports: “If you want a great example of how to behave as an international cricketer, Joe Root is it.
“I am a really big fan of Root. I think he is a wonderful player and ambassador for the game, so to work with him was really appealing.
Flemming added, “I just knew that he is the best guy to captain this side.
“He epitomises everything that is great about an international player.
“He is greatness, but a wonderful human being in the way that he conducts himself and can go about being great.
Great role model
“He is such a great role model and such a perfect person for a young group of players. It was a no-brainer, for me, for him to be captain.
“Root is in charge. If he is going out and making key decisions, he is in charge.
“My role is very closely linked to provide him with what he needs. That can be criticism, constructively, so it’s not just a yes position.
“I want him to be the best he can be and I think there is still room to grow in his captaincy with this group.
“I don’t necessarily know what that looks like but I know there is growth and that’s exciting.”
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Cricket news: England ‘trending in the right direction’, says Harry Brook ahead of ODI series
Number one target
Fleming accepted the England Test coaching role on July 30 – and all eyes are on next summer’s home Ashes series with Australia.
“I would love to be in charge of the number one Test team in the world. That would be my aspiration,” Fleming added.
“My honest appraisal is it’s a great time to be the head coach. I think it’s a real opportunity with the players that are coming through.
“The fast bowlers as an example, I loved watching them operate in the [Pakistan] Test series recently.
“Also, the introduction of [Jordan] Cox and [Dan] Lawrence was nice, when you’ve got someone like [Jacob] Bethell [to come back].
“There’s talent there competing for places, and that’s always the barometer. If you’re leaving very good players out, then you’re going to be in a healthy situation.”
READ NEXT: NFL news: Dallas Cowboys bounce back with commanding win over Washington Commanders
Aidan Leo 
Juliette White