Stephen Fleming has ruled out asking Ben Stokes to reverse his retirement from England Test cricket, telling BBC’s Test Match Special that trying to talk Stokes out of the decision would be wrong. The comments came in Fleming’s first major interviews since becoming England’s Test coach, given to BBC Sport and Sky Sports and published on September 20, 2026.

The interviews also covered England’s recent run of off-field discipline issues, the end of the “Bazball” era under predecessor Brendon McCullum, and Fleming’s ambition to take England back to No. 1 in the ICC Test rankings by 2027.

What Happened

Fleming rules out asking Stokes to reverse retirement

Ben Stokes retired abruptly from England Test cricket in June 2026, ending a four-year spell as captain during a 2-1 series defeat to New Zealand at Trent Bridge. Since then, England’s director of cricket, Rob Key, has floated a possible Stokes return for next year’s Ashes as a “great story” without ruling it out.

Fleming took a different position. Speaking to Test Match Special, he said he respects Stokes’ decision too much to question it, and that trying to reverse it would be wrong given how much goes into that kind of call.

The two men have history: Fleming coached Stokes at Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, giving them an existing working relationship. Since retiring from England duty, Stokes has helped Durham win the Division Two County Championship and signed to play for the Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash League — moves that fuelled speculation about his Test future even as Fleming closed the door on it.

Joe Root has since taken over as England’s Test captain, leading the side to a 3-0 series win over Pakistan.

Fleming addresses England’s off-field issues

Fleming also addressed a cluster of recent discipline problems involving England players:

  • Harry Brook’s altercation with a nightclub bouncer
  • Ben Duckett being filmed appearing drunk in Australia
  • Stokes and Gus Atkinson breaching a team curfew
  • Brydon Carse being investigated by police over an incident in Derby

Derbyshire Police closed their investigation into Carse without taking action, but he now faces a separate investigation from cricket’s regulator and has not been picked for a squad since. Fleming pointed to Joe Root as the example of how an England cricketer should conduct himself.

Why It Matters

The end of the Bazball era

Fleming described the end of the Bazball era — the aggressive, entertainment-first approach associated with McCullum’s tenure — as “chaotic,” and said he felt for Stokes given how it ended. He ruled out branding his own approach “Flemball,” joking that it sounds like a medical condition.

Instead, he said he wants England to be known for being well-planned, with discipline and a strong basic structure, while keeping some of the flair that defined the Bazball years. He also wants the team to add more game awareness around key moments in matches without losing its positive identity.

England’s target: No. 1 in the world by 2027

England currently sit sixth in the ICC Test rankings. Fleming’s stated goal is to get them back to No. 1 for the first time since 2012, alongside fixing England’s poor record in the World Test Championship.

That ambition sits against the backdrop of a 4-1 Ashes defeat in Australia over the 2025-26 winter — the most recent reminder of the gap between England and the top of the Test game.

MilestoneDetail
Current Test ranking6th
Target rankingNo. 1 (last held in 2012)
Last Ashes resultLost 4-1 in Australia, 2025-26
Next AshesStarts June 18, 2027, at Trent Bridge (England)

The Fleming–Stokes–McCullum Connection, Explained

The three men’s careers are more tangled than a simple coach-and-player handover suggests. Fleming and McCullum played 32 Tests together for New Zealand between 2004 and 2008 and remain close friends and business partners. McCullum went on to coach England’s Test side through the Bazball era before being replaced by Fleming as Test coach, though he stays on as England’s white-ball coach.

Fleming’s connection to Stokes runs through the IPL, where he coached Stokes at Chennai Super Kings — a relationship that gives extra weight to his comments on Stokes’ retirement, even as he declines to use that relationship to lobby for a comeback.

Notably, Fleming himself has never previously coached a red-ball or Test-level team. His most recent post before joining England was head coach of Chennai Super Kings, a role he left earlier in 2026, despite having captained New Zealand in 80 of his 111 Tests as a player.

Timeline Fleming’s First Two Months as England Coach

DateEvent
June 2026Stokes retires from England Test cricket during 2-1 series loss to New Zealand
Earlier 2026Fleming leaves his role as Chennai Super Kings head coach
July 30, 2026Fleming appointed England’s Test coach
Aug–Sept 2026Fleming absent for personal/family reasons; England beat Pakistan 3-0 in Tests under Joe Root
Mid-September 2026Fleming attends England’s T20 series win over Sri Lanka in Manchester; meets McCullum
September 2026Fleming visits Durham during their match against Worcestershire and meets Stokes
September 20, 2026Fleming gives first major interviews to BBC and Sky Sports

Reaction and What Happens Next

Is a Stokes Ashes return really dead?

Fleming’s comments close the door on him personally pushing for a Stokes comeback, but they don’t settle the matter entirely. Rob Key’s earlier remarks calling a return a “great story” leave some ambiguity about England’s official stance, and the decision ultimately rests with Stokes rather than the coaching staff. No source in current reporting suggests Stokes himself has commented directly on a possible U-turn.

What to watch before the 2027 Ashes

With the next Ashes set to begin at Trent Bridge on June 18, 2027, and conclude at The Oval from July 29, England have roughly nine months to address the issues Fleming flagged: team discipline, building structure without losing flair, and climbing from sixth to first in the Test rankings. How Joe Root settles into full-time captaincy, and whether the Carse regulatory investigation is resolved, are both likely to shape the picture before then.

FAQ

Did Stephen Fleming rule out Ben Stokes for the Ashes?

He ruled out personally asking Stokes to reverse his retirement, saying it would be wrong to question that decision. He did not comment on whether Stokes might choose to return on his own.

Why did Ben Stokes retire from England?

Stokes retired from England Test cricket in June 2026 during a 2-1 series loss to New Zealand at Trent Bridge, ending a four-year spell as captain. The specific personal reasons behind the decision are not detailed in current reporting.

Who is Stephen Fleming and what’s his coaching background?

Fleming is a former New Zealand Test captain who played 111 Tests and led the side to 28 Test wins, including New Zealand’s first ICC trophy in 2000. He was most recently head coach of Chennai Super Kings in the IPL but had never coached a Test team before joining England in July 2026.

What did Fleming say about England’s discipline issues?

He addressed a run of off-field incidents involving Harry Brook, Ben Duckett, Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson, and Brydon Carse, and named Joe Root as the standard for how an England player should conduct himself.

Is Bazball finished under Fleming?

Fleming called the end of the Bazball era “chaotic” and said he wants England to be more structured and disciplined, while keeping some of the flair from that period. He explicitly ruled out naming his own approach “Flemball.”

When is the next Ashes series?

The next Ashes will be played in England, starting with the first Test at Trent Bridge on June 18, 2027, and finishing at The Oval from July 29, 2027.

Is Joe Root now England’s full-time Test captain?

Root has captained England since Stokes’ retirement, including the 3-0 series win over Pakistan, though current reporting doesn’t specify whether his captaincy has been made permanent.

Sources

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