Stephen Fleming is quite clear about his focus as he gets ready for his role as the head coach of England’s Test team. England’s performance in the longest format of the sport, especially against the stronger teams, have been average, and Fleming wants that to change.
“I would love to be in charge of the No.1 Test team in the world,” Fleming said in his first news conference as the England Test head coach. “That would be my aspiration.
“I know the marquee events. The Ashes are something I can’t wait for. As a New Zealander, I have watched and loved the Ashes all my cricketing life. To be a part of that is an absolute highlight, so I can’t wait for that.”
All the World Test Championship finals so far have been played in England. But England couldn’t feature in any of those finals. That, too, is on Fleming’s mind, and he wants his players to strive for a better WTC show.
“It’s high on the agenda and it’s aspirational,” he said of the WTC. “England could do much better than that. And even the attitude just around the over rate, I think, 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? There’s a lot of hard work to do and players must be balanced around that,” the former New Zealand captain stated.
The “style of play” was another aspect that found cognisance in Fleming. “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. That will be more player-directed,” he said.
Lately, off-field issues have dominated headlines in English cricket. Fleming is quite mindful of restoring that discipline in the side.
“It’s disappointing,” Fleming told . “I watched Joe (Root) in the news conference, and when he voiced his displeasure at the behaviour, I think that said it all.
“If you want a great example of how to behave as an international cricketer, Joe Root is it. There’s work to be done, and that comes back to making sure we’re tying into something a bit bigger than oneself.”