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Having recently exited the Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) setup, Stephen Fleming is set to land another coaching gig soon. In a high-profile development, the former New Zealand captain is now the frontrunner to be appointed as England’s new red-ball coach, replacing his fellow countryman Brendon McCullum.

Has Stephen Fleming held a coaching role in international cricket?

While the ex flamboyant left-handed batter hasn’t held a full-time coaching role in international cricket, he had briefly joined New Zealand’s coaching staff as a consultant and mentor for a five-day period ahead of the T20 World Cup 2021 in the UAE. But he has a wealth of coaching experience when it comes to franchise cricket, headlined by ushering the Super Kings to IPL title glory on five occasions. He has also coached the Texas Super Kings in the Major League Cricket and Joburg Super Kings in SA20.

Hence, England should benefit from appointing him. Earlier, Andy Flower had firmly ruled himself out of the reckoning, while Justin Langer was linked to the role but revealed that the England Cricket Board (ECB) never reached out to him. Jonathan Trott and Richard Dawson were the other candidates in contention. According to The Telegraph, the ECB is keen to give the role to the 53-year-old, who has featured in 111 Tests for the Black Caps and that an appointment is quite close following the interview process.

Will Joe Root succeed Ben Stokes as England’s Test captain?

While who will take over as England’s next coach remains a talking point, Ben Stokes’ successor is equally an intriguing topic. The superstar all-rounder announced a shock retirement from international cricket during the third Test against New Zealand at the Trent Bridge in Nottingham, with England not only losing that match but also conceding the series 2-1. Having not beaten India and Australia, either home or away during his tenure along with a series loss to the Kiwis in their own backyard made McCullum’s position as a coach untenable.

Hence, McCullum was fired from the Test setup but he will be in-charge of the white-ball sides. The Telegraph has also reported that Fleming, if appointed, will start his tenure later this year during the South Africa tour where England play three Tests. Marcus Trescothick could take over in an interim role for the home series against Pakistan. As for the skipper, reports have claimed that Joe Root could be appointed skipper for the second time in his career.

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