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Stephen Fleming believed England’s Test team should ultimately be coached by an Englishman, even though the New Zealander is about to take charge of the side himself.

Fleming was appointed England’s new Test coach in July and will begin work with the team on their tour of South Africa in December. He said developing English coaches would be one of the priorities of his tenure.

Fleming, who will replace McCullum as Test coach while his predecessor continues to lead the white-ball teams, said he believed England should eventually be coached by someone from the country.

“I do believe that primarily the national team should be coached by a national representative,” Fleming told BBC Radio 5 Live. “I’m grateful for the opportunity, but there will be some development in terms of the coaching, and you can see by our staff.”

England have had relatively few Englishmen in charge of their Test team in recent decades. Since 1999, Peter Moores has had two spells as coach, while Chris Silverwood was in the job from 2019 to 2022. Ashley Giles also coached the white-ball teams. The other Test coaches during that period have been Zimbabweans Duncan Fletcher and Andy Flower, Australian Trevor Bayliss and New Zealander Brendon McCullum.

There is already a strong English presence in Fleming’s coaching team. Former England opener Marcus Trescothick, who was in interim charge of the Test side earlier this year, has joined the staff along with former England wicketkeeper James Foster and former spinner Richard Dawson. Jonathan Trott will take charge of the England Lions.

Fleming said he also wanted to make greater use of coaches and former players from across the English game. He plans to bring county coaches into the national set-up at various points, while also giving former England players opportunities to work with the team.

“There are some really key people who have come back into the system, and I’m really pleased about that,” he said. “I look forward to working with them, but it is a real focus, and it’s an ambition as well that you will also get county coaches who will be introduced at certain times, and you will get past players that will be asked to come back as well.

“It’s really inclusive and a comfortable nature of using what’s around, but also driving what should be driven within the county game and the English game.”

He also planned to spend time watching county cricket next summer as England build towards the Ashes at home.

“Yep, I’ll be around, and I really enjoyed this year getting to catch up,” said Fleming. “A lot of the guys I played with are now in positions either coaching or the head positions at counties.

“It was good to catch up with those guys and get a feel for where the county game is at. I really enjoyed it, and it will be a key part to continuing developing players.”

Fleming’s appointment was confirmed in July, but he did not take charge for England’s three-Test series against Pakistan in August and September. His first assignment will therefore be the three-Test tour of South Africa in December and January.

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