Fleming Already in the Picture as England Crush Pakistan at Headingley
England opened their Test series against Pakistan with a thumping innings-and-103-run win at Headingley, and their incoming head coach was already part of the conversation.
Stephen Fleming, appointed England's men's Test head coach on July 30, does not officially start until after this Pakistan series. Yet captain Joe Root revealed that the New Zealander was on the phone daily throughout the first Test in Leeds, offering input as England romped to victory The Guardian.
"It was great to have him on the phone," Root said of Fleming's involvement. "He's already invested in what we're trying to achieve" The Guardian.
Fleming's appointment was a major factor in Root's own decision to return for a second stint as Test captain. Root called the former Chennai Super Kings and New Zealand skipper a "big reason" he wanted the captaincy back, and said England must play "smarter" Test cricket under the new setup ESPNcricinfo; The Athletic. Ben Stokes, who played under Fleming at Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, backed the choice, calling him a "great man" The Guardian.
On the field, the bowling did the heavy lifting. Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue each claimed eight wickets across the match — a combined haul of 16 that left Pakistan with nowhere to hide on a surface that offered enough for the seamers to stay in the game throughout. An innings win means England posted a single batting effort so large that Pakistan were bowled out twice without the home side needing to bat again.
There were stories with the bat too. Jordan Cox and Dan Lawrence, both returning to England's Test XI, marked their comebacks with half-centuries. For Lawrence especially, it was a reminder of what he offers at this level after time away from the side.
Headingley has become a fortress. England have now won seven consecutive Tests at the Leeds ground, a streak that began with an innings victory over Pakistan in 2018. That run adds a layer of poignancy to the scheduling news: Headingley will not host men's Test cricket in 2027 or 2028, meaning this could be England's last red-ball appearance at the venue for some time The Guardian.
Pakistan, meanwhile, were led by stand-in captain Salman Ali Agha in the absence of the injured Babar Azam. Agha said he would be happy to hand the captaincy back to Azam for the second Test at Lord's, where the series resumes.
For fans, the early signs are promising. Root and Fleming's partnership is barely a week old in competitive terms, and the players have responded with a comprehensive performance. The real tests — tougher opposition, away tours, the kind of pressure that exposes any setup — lie ahead. But a coach on the phone before he is even in the building, a captain who specifically returned because of him, and a 16-wicket bowling performance: that is a first impression worth making.
