Fleming targets No. 1 Test ranking for England - Sky Sports News

England’s new Test cricket head coach Stephen Fleming said he aims to take the team to the top of the world rankings. At the same time, he stressed the need to resolve disciplinary problems within the team that came under scrutiny this summer, Sky Sports News reports.

In June, Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson were suspended for the second Test of the series against New Zealand, which England lost 1-2. The reason was an incident at a nightclub following England’s victory in the opening match at Lord’s. Last month, Brydon Carse was handcuffed near a nightclub in Derby; he missed the second and third Tests of the series against Pakistan. Police later closed the investigation without charging Carse.

Discipline and Root’s example

Fleming called these episodes regrettable and said it would be important to him how players represent England and the team. He supported the response of Test captain Joe Root, who had expressed dissatisfaction with the number of alcohol-related incidents. According to the coach, Root is a model of conduct for an international cricketer.

The new coach said that since agreeing to take the job on July 30, he has been in frequent contact with Root. He also spoke with Stokes, who ended his international career in June. Fleming said he respects the decision of the 35-year-old cricketer, despite speculation about his possible return for next summer’s home Ashes series.

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Goals in Test cricket

Fleming described the England job as one of the most prestigious in cricket and noted the potential of the squad. In particular, he positively assessed the performance of the fast bowlers in the Test series against Pakistan, as well as the emergence of Jordan Cox and Dan Lawrence. The coach also mentioned Jacob Bethell, who is expected to return to the squad.

England are sixth in the 2025-2027 World Test Championship cycle and have not reached the final in any of the previous three editions. Fleming believes the team can perform much better in the tournament, but there is a great deal of work ahead.

Speaking about the style of play, the coach praised the changes introduced by Stokes and England’s current limited-overs coach Brendon McCullum. At the same time, he wants to retain the team’s positive approach while adding more considered decisions at key moments in matches.

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