Joe Root has agreed to return as the captain of the England Test cricket team citing the appointment of new head coach Stephen Fleming as the primary motivation for his decision. Root reclaims the leadership role from Ben Stokes who recently retired following England's home series against New Zealand.
Fleming a former New Zealand captain who recently concluded a 17-year coaching stint with the Chennai Super Kings, succeeds Brendon McCullum as the Test coach. McCullum will remain with the team as the white-ball coach.
"If I'm being brutally honest, it was a big reason why I wanted to do it" Root stated regarding Fleming's arrival. He praised Fleming's vast experience and shared his excitement about building a successful partnership noting that they share a clear vision for the team's future.
Root is no stranger to the role having previously captained the Test side from 2017 to 2022. Over the past four years under the leadership of Stokes and McCullum England adopted a highly aggressive, fan-favourite style of play. Root called this period the most fun he has had in professional cricket and confirmed his intention to carry that attacking mindset forward as leader.
Root’s new tenure will officially begin when England hosts Pakistan for a three-match Test series, starting in Leeds on August 19.
