A day that started with Justin Langer saying England should pick a homegrown candidate as their new Test coach after admitting he’d not been approached for the role, ended with New Zealander Stephen Fleming all-but guaranteed the job.
Just a fortnight after Brendon McCullum was relieved of the position – but still retained as England’s white-ball coach – it is understood that Fleming is set to be appointed.
It adds another Kiwi to the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) payroll and is perhaps the only move director of cricket Rob Key could make after deciding to split the two coaching roles once again.
Andy Flower, the ECB’s No 1 choice for the job at the start of the process, partly turned it down because he was wary of the competing agendas and issues split coaches bring. He went through it during his first spell in charge of England when Ashley Giles was appointed white-ball coach in late 2012. It didn’t work. Both men were gone in less than 18 months.
Fleming, 53, is short on international coaching experience having spent the past 18 years in the Indian Premier League, standing down from his long-standing role with Chennai Super Kings at the start of this month.
But his relationship with McCullum, a former team-mate and business partner, was key – pardon the pun Rob – to him landing this job. Both men know each other well and should, in theory, be able to build a productive and collaborative relationship.
It’s what looks to have given Fleming the edge over his two main rivals for the job – both former England players in Richard Dawson and Jonathan Trott.
The speed at which the ECB has come to its decision could be seen as a positive. With less than three weeks before England’s next Test series against Pakistan, it had to act quickly. It is understood that it is hopeful the new man will be in place for the first Test at Headingley on 19 August.
Yet it will not rush things, with the ECB relaxed about Marcus Trescothick taking over an interim basis for the three Tests against Pakistan if Fleming cannot be installed in time.
Yet with the next series after that away against world Test champions South Africa at the end of this year, Fleming really could do with some time with his new squad against opponents in Pakistan who have lost all of their last eight away Test matches.
Overseeing a series win this summer would give the new man some much-needed positivity and early goodwill ahead of the greater challenges ahead – namely next summer’s Ashes series.
Joe Root is still expected to be handed the Test captaincy for the second time before the Pakistan series, although the appointment of a new full-time coach may well lead the ECB to reassess that choice depending on the wishes of Fleming.
Langer, meanwhile, told the “Stick To Cricket” podcast he had no formal contact from the ECB over the post.
The Australian said: “I haven’t heard from anyone. It’s interesting, you read it all, but it’s all paper talk.”
Interestingly, he did make the case for an English coach to fill the role, though, saying: “I think an English coach is a really important element. You’ve got to have a real passion for it. That’s what I loved about coaching Australia.
“Who will coach England? I’ve got no idea, mate. They’re going to have to work really well with Baz. You look at Tres [Marcus Trescothick]. I know he’s passionate about English cricket and he’s worked with Baz for the last little bit. But then we talked about it before, succession planning.
“You have to. You’ve always got to have succession planning. Richard Dawson, they tell me he’s a ripper, a great person… Jonathan Trott… there are lots of good people. You’ve got to get the right people in your camp, and things usually work out pretty well.”
Langer also underlined why the ECB has seemingly gone for Fleming when flagging the dangers of split coaching. “It can work if you’ve got the right people,” he said. “They’ve got to get on very well and be on the same page. They’re going to have the same thinking. So, I would say there will be some teething issues for Baz and whoever he’s working with. It could work, but there haven’t been too many examples where it has.”
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