Fleming eyes No.1 Test ranking, wants England to rediscover 'identity'

Former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming has set his sights on taking England to the top of the world Test rankings in his first press conference as the English Test team’s new head coach on Saturday.

“I would love to be in charge of the No.1 Test team in the world. That would be my aspiration,” the New Zealander declared at Emirates Old Trafford on Saturday, ahead of the third and final T20I between England and Sri Lanka.

Fleming, who succeeded his former teammate Brendon McCullum in July, arrived in England only this week, after the conclusion of the Test series win over Pakistan. He has signed a contract through to September 2030.

"It's one of the most prestigious jobs in cricket," Fleming said. "I was very honoured to be asked."

Central to his plans is reshaping England's on- and off-field "identity," a process he said has already begun with captain Joe Root. "There is a piece of work there that has already begun which is around our identity," he said.

"The way players represent England and the group is going to be really important to me. The style of play will come with that also," Fleming added, noting the approach would be "more player-directed."

England have failed to reach any of the three World Test Championship finals despite hosting them all, and sit sixth in the current 2025-27 cycle. Fleming wants that indifference addressed.

"It's high [on the agenda], it's aspirational," he said. "England could do much better than that. Even attitude just around the over rate comes down to identity and style of play.

"If that's one of the pinnacle trophies in world cricket, why would we not be trying to get it along with every other marquee event that comes our way?" he said, cautioning there was "a huge amount of work to do."

Fleming's week included visits to five County venues, among them Durham, where he met former captain Ben Stokes. He declined to discuss whether Stokes might reconsider his retirement from international cricket.

"I respect his decision too much. To try to turn that around and question that is wrong," Fleming said.

A former Middlesex, Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire player who captained Notts to the County Championship title in 2005, Fleming said reconnecting with the domestic game mattered personally to him.

"I have a huge respect for County cricket. Those were some of my best cricketing days," he said. "There is some real talent out there and some really good people coaching the talent."

On the recent off-field controversies involving England players, including an incident involving Brydon Carse, Fleming pointed to Root as the standard to follow.

"You acknowledge it's disappointing... it comes back to that identity piece," he said. "If you want a great example of how to behave as an international cricketer, Joe Root is it."

Fleming, whose first assignment is England's tour of South Africa this winter, said he was relishing a return to red-ball cricket after 16 years with Chennai Super Kings.

"I'm really looking forward to almost coming back to red-ball cricket and having a little bit more time," he said. "Now to have time to work with a group of players over months and years really excites me."