Newly appointed England Test head coach Stephen Fleming faces the possibility of missing the start of the upcoming Test series, which begins on August 19. If Fleming is unavailable, assistant coach Marcus Trescothick is expected to step in as interim head coach, with former captain Joe Root likely to take on the role of interim Test captain for the three-match series.

Fleming, who recently concluded his tenure with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL), brings considerable franchise experience to his new role despite lacking prior international coaching credentials. During his time with CSK, he led the team to five IPL titles and two Champions League Twenty20 championships. Additionally, Fleming has coached the Super Kings franchises participating in South Africa’s SA20 league and the United States’ Major League Cricket, along with a stint at Australia’s Big Bash League side, the Melbourne Stars.

A significant challenge for Fleming will be coordinating closely with England’s white-ball head coach, Brendon McCullum. The two have a longstanding professional relationship dating back to their time playing for New Zealand, and they co-founded CricHQ, a digital cricket services company, in 2010. Their collaboration will be critical as Fleming settles into his role and begins reshaping England’s Test setup.

One of Fleming’s immediate priorities, in partnership with England’s head selector Marcus North and managing director of men’s cricket Rob Key, will be to appoint a permanent Test captain following Ben Stokes’ unexpected retirement last month. With Stokes stepping away from international cricket, the leadership vacancy has narrowed to two main contenders: Joe Root and Harry Brook.

While Root brings extensive leadership experience, McCullum is believed to have a strong affinity for Brook, who currently leads England in limited-overs formats. However, it is considered unlikely that England would burden the 27-year-old Brook with captaining across all formats, especially given his prominent role in two major series next year—the Ashes and the 50-over World Cup.

England’s squad selection for the first Test is expected to be announced next week. Most players are currently engaged with their respective teams in The Hundred competition, which concludes with its final at Lord’s on Sunday, August 16. Players from the finalist teams will only be able to join the national squad two days before the first Test, potentially impacting preparation time ahead of the series opener.