Root named England Test captain, Fleming appointed coach

Joe Root is back as England's Test captain, with former New Zealand skipper Stephen Fleming appointed as the new head coach. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced the changes Thursday, ushering in a new era for the team.

These appointments follow the recent dismissal of Brendon McCullum as Test coach and the unexpected retirement of former captain Ben Stokes. McCullum, who continues to lead England's white-ball teams, was removed from his Test coaching role after a 2-1 home series defeat to New Zealand in June, which capped a disappointing Ashes campaign in Australia.

Root will resume his captaincy duties for the upcoming three-match series against Pakistan, scheduled to begin next month. However, Fleming is not expected to arrive until later in the year. Root, hailing from Yorkshire, has captained England in more Tests than any other player, with 65 matches, and holds the record for the most wins with 27. He previously captained the team from 2017 to 2022 and briefly took the role on an interim basis at the Oval during the recent series against New Zealand. The 35-year-old is also second on the list of all-time Test run-scorers for England.