Fleming dan Root Kembali Pimpin Inggris: Babak Baru setelah Era McCullum Berakhir

Former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming has been appointed as England's Test coach, with Joe Root returning as captain, marking a new chapter for English cricket after the dismissal of Brendon McCullum and the sudden retirement of Ben Stokes.

Fleming, 53, who has never held a national head coaching role but led Chennai Super Kings to five Indian Premier League titles in 17 years, inherits a side that has lost its momentum. England won 10 of the first 12 Tests under McCullum but have since lost 18 of 37 matches, failing to win a multi-match series since December 2024. The final straw came after a 4-1 Ashes defeat in Australia and a home series loss to New Zealand, during which Stokes announced his retirement.

Root, 35, returns as captain after his first stint from 2017 to 2022, when he led England to a record 27 Test wins. He holds England's highest run-scorer record with 14,114 runs and is second overall behind Sachin Tendulkar. Root stepped down after the 2021-22 Ashes defeat and another series loss in the West Indies. Now, with Stokes gone, the England and Wales Cricket Board has turned to Root to provide stability alongside Fleming.

Fleming's appointment is a gamble given his lack of national team experience, but his franchise success and close relationship with McCullum—now England's white-ball coach—could ease the transition. "It's a huge motivator to work with Fleming," Root said. "He has proved over a long period that he is an exceptional leader." Australia coach Andrew McDonald even suggested Fleming could entice Stokes out of retirement for next year's Ashes, calling Stokes "a lot of good cricket left."

For Indonesian cricket fans, the changes may seem distant, but they signal a strategic shift in one of the sport's most influential teams. England's performance in the upcoming Ashes and World Test Championship will affect rankings and rivalries, potentially drawing attention from local enthusiasts who follow international cricket. The partnership between Fleming and McCullum could harmonize the Test and white-ball setups—a balance England has rarely achieved.

"Of course, the ambition is always to win now. But equally, it's about ensuring the team is well placed for the medium and long-term future," kata Fleming saat diperkenalkan. Ia menekankan pengembangan pemain muda seperti Harry Brook dan Jacob Bethell.

Fleming tidak akan mendampingi tim pada seri melawan Pakistan mulai 19 Agustus; asisten Marcus Trescothick menjadi pelatih sementara. Ia akan bergabung penuh untuk tur Afrika Selatan pada Desember. Pertanyaan besar adalah apakah pendekatan 'Bazball' yang agresif akan bertahan atau mereda di bawah kepemimpinan Root yang lebih konservatif. Sebuah keseimbangan antara gaya agresif dan pragmatisme mungkin menjadi kunci untuk mengembalikan kejayaan Inggris.