The announcement, made on October 12, 2026, also confirmed new specialist roles for Mike Yardy and Richard Dawson, alongside coaching appointments for James Foster, Eric Simons, Sarah Taylor, Jeetan Patel and Tim Southee. Former England batter Kevin Pietersen will serve as a specialist mentor for the white-ball teams.
The restructuring comes as England prepare for a busy winter, including a Test tour of South Africa and white-ball cricket in Australia.
| Coach | Role | Team or responsibility |
|---|---|---|
| Stephen Fleming | Head Coach | England Men's Test Team |
| Brendon McCullum | Head Coach | England Men's White-ball teams |
| Richard Dawson | Elite National Spin Bowling Lead; Test Coaching Staff | Spin bowling and Test team |
| James Foster | Assistant Coach | Test team |
| Eric Simons | Assistant Coach | Test team |
| Marcus Trescothick | Coaching Staff | Test team |
| Mike Yardy | Elite National Batting Lead | National coaching structure |
| Troy Cooley | Elite National Pace Bowling Lead | National pace-bowling development |
| Sarah Taylor | Coaching Staff | White-ball teams |
| Jeetan Patel | Coaching Staff | White-ball teams |
| Tim Southee | Coaching Staff | White-ball teams |
| Kevin Pietersen | Specialist Mentor | White-ball teams |
Stephen Fleming takes charge of England's Test team
Stephen Fleming is the headline appointment in England's revised coaching structure. The former New Zealand captain was named England men's Test head coach on July 30, 2026, replacing McCullum in the red-ball role.
Fleming brings extensive franchise-cricket experience, having spent 18 years associated with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League. Under his coaching, CSK won five IPL titles and reached the final on multiple occasions. He has also worked with teams in Australia, South Africa and the United States.
The ECB expects Fleming to help England build on the progress made under the previous coaching regime while developing the next generation of Test players. His first major assignment is the winter Test tour of South Africa.
James Foster and Eric Simons join the Test coaching group
Fleming will be supported by James Foster and Eric Simons, two coaches with whom he has worked in franchise cricket.
Foster is a former England wicketkeeper who has experience in international and domestic coaching. He previously worked with England's white-ball setup, coached the Northern Superchargers in The Hundred and gained experience in competitions including the IPL, Pakistan Super League and Bangladesh Premier League.
Simons, meanwhile, is a former South Africa men's head coach who has also worked with the Indian men's team as a bowling consultant. He spent several years working alongside Fleming at Chennai Super Kings and brings international and franchise experience to England's Test setup.
Marcus Trescothick will also be part of the Test coaching group. He previously served as England's interim head coach and remains involved as the team transitions to Fleming's leadership.
These appointments give the Test team a coaching group with experience in international cricket, player development and franchise competitions.
Brendon McCullum remains in charge of white-ball cricket
Although McCullum is no longer England's Test head coach, he will continue to lead the men's white-ball teams in One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is).
His white-ball coaching group will include Sarah Taylor, Jeetan Patel and Tim Southee, while Kevin Pietersen has been appointed as a specialist mentor.
Pietersen's role is intended to bring his international batting experience and knowledge of limited-overs cricket into England's preparation. He will work with the white-ball teams during the build-up to the 2027 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup in southern Africa.
The continued appointment of McCullum provides continuity in England's limited-overs setup, while the separate Test coaching group allows Fleming to develop his own approach to red-ball cricket.
Sarah Taylor's role in the white-ball setup
Former England wicketkeeper Sarah Taylor is among the prominent names in the coaching structure. A member of England's 2017 Women's World Cup-winning team, Taylor has developed coaching experience with England's pathway teams and other programmes.
Her involvement reflects the ECB's continued use of specialist coaching expertise across its men's international setup. Taylor had previously worked with England's men's Test team in a fielding role during the 2026 series against New Zealand; the latest announcement lists her among McCullum's white-ball coaching group.
New national specialist coaching roles
Alongside the individual team appointments, the ECB has confirmed a national coaching structure intended to strengthen specialist development across English cricket.
- Mike Yardy — Elite National Batting Lead: Yardy will focus on batting development across the national system.
- Richard Dawson — Elite National Spin Bowling Lead: Dawson will take responsibility for specialist spin-bowling development while also supporting the Test coaching group.
- Troy Cooley — Elite National Pace Bowling Lead: Cooley began this role earlier in 2026 and will continue to lead national fast-bowling development.
Dawson returns to the England men's coaching structure after serving as Glamorgan's head coach. His previous roles have included England Lions head coach, England Under-19s head coach and work within England's elite pathways programme.
The specialist structure is designed to support players beyond the immediate international squads, strengthening the route from domestic cricket to the senior England teams. Source: ECB.
What the new coaching structure means for England
The appointments establish separate leadership for England's two main men's international formats. Fleming will lead the Test side, while McCullum remains responsible for white-ball cricket. The ECB has also formalised specialist national roles in batting, spin bowling and pace bowling.
The immediate test for the coaching groups will come during the winter tours of South Africa and Australia. The appointments will give the coaches an opportunity to work with their respective squads, prepare players for different formats and assess the depth of England's international options.
For England, the broader objective is to combine immediate international results with long-term player development. The new structure brings together experienced international coaches, former England players and specialists with extensive franchise-cricket backgrounds.
Conclusion
England's newly confirmed coaching structure features Stephen Fleming as the men's Test head coach and Brendon McCullum continuing with the white-ball teams. James Foster, Eric Simons and Marcus Trescothick will support the Test setup, while Sarah Taylor, Jeetan Patel, Tim Southee and Kevin Pietersen form part of the white-ball coaching group.
Mike Yardy and Richard Dawson have also taken on new national specialist responsibilities, alongside Troy Cooley's existing pace-bowling role.
The structure marks a fresh phase for England men's cricket as the teams prepare for their winter assignments. Its success will ultimately be measured by performances on the field, the development of emerging players and England's ability to compete consistently across formats.
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