STEPHEN FLEMING TARGETS WORLD NO 1 RANKING FOR ENGLAND TEST TEAM

Stephen Fleming used his first press conference as England's Test coach to set out his ambition for the side to become the world's top-ranked Test team. Speaking in Manchester, the New Zealander said he had watched and loved the Ashes throughout his career and could not wait to be part of the contest with England. Fleming also backed the World Test Championship, a competition New Zealand won in 2021, saying England "could do much better" than their record in it and linking the team's approach to over-rates to their wider identity and style of play. He said work on establishing that identity had already begun and that how players represent England would matter greatly to him.

Fleming had not yet taken up the post on the field when England beat Pakistan 3-0 in a recent Test series, having been occupied with family and commercial commitments during that time. His predecessor, Brendon McCullum, who remains in place as white-ball coach, oversaw that series and was described by Fleming as a close friend and former teammate who had played something of a "big brother" role. Fleming praised the aggressive style of Test cricket introduced by McCullum alongside captain Ben Stokes, calling the courage behind that approach "remarkable" and saying he had huge respect for it. He added that the approach had not evolved over the past 12 months as players or supporters would have liked.

Fleming said he wanted to build on the positive, attacking cricket associated with the McCullum-Stokes era while adding greater "cricket sense in the key moments". He described the challenge as combining that established template with a more calculated approach at crucial points in matches. No timetable was given for when specific changes might be introduced. Fleming's comments mark his first public statement of intent since being appointed to the role.