Brendon McCullum apologises to England cricket fans, Stephen Fleming parts ways with IPL team Chennai Super Kings

Tuesday, 14 July 2026

Brendon McCullum is interviewed by Stephen Fleming at the New Zealand Open in 2023.

Coincidence or not, Stephen Fleming’s exit from Chennai Super Kings after 18 years with the Indian Premier League team has seen him join the list of candidates to succeed Brendon McCullum as England’s test cricket coach.

McCullum gave his farewell press conference at the helm of the test team on Tuesday, saying he was “shoulder tapped” to vacate the job. He apologised to England fans for failing to beat their marquee opponents Australia and India in test series.

On the same day, CSK announced Fleming’s departure after a decorated tenure during which the franchise won five IPL and two Champions League T20 (CLT20) titles.

CSK finished last in 2025 and eighth this year, leading to speculation over Fleming’s future. At the end of this year’s IPL Fleming said it was “management's call, not mine”.

In the wake of Fleming’s news, The Telegraph said he would enter the frame to succeed McCullum, a list headed by former England coach Andy Flower who still holds an IPL role himself with the champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

“It is unclear if Fleming would be interested in working for England, but he could become a candidate alongside Flower, Kumar Sangakkara and Richard Dawson, the Glamorgan coach. Rob Key, the managing director, will lead the recruitment after surviving in his post,” The Telegraph wrote.

Fleming has turned down any overtures to become a fulltime international coach during his time with Chennai, since his retirement from international cricket in 2008. He worked with the Black Caps for brief periods as an assistant coach, most recently on the 2023 England tour.

McCullum was sacked from his job with the test team at the weekend, in the wake of their 2-1 loss to the Black Caps which also led to captain Ben Stokes’ sudden retirement, but will continue to be the coach of England's white-ball teams.

Speaking at Edgbaston before the first ODI against India, he said: “We just weren't quite able to win those big series, against India and Australia, the two marquee series. We just weren't able to get the results and for that I guess I can only say sorry.”

England head coach Brendon McCullum and ODI skipper Harry Brook at Edgbaston.

McCullum was upbeat, revealing that he made no last-ditch pitch to keep his job and stressing the enjoyment he'd had in the role after taking over in 2022.

Overall, McCullum's record as test coach was 27 wins, two draws, and 20 defeats, with seven of those losses coming in England's last nine test matches.

“I feel over the course of 20-odd years in this sport, the last four years have been possibly the biggest highlight,” he said.

And there was certainly no bitterness about the ending.

“I got a tap on the shoulder. I was disappointed, not just initially, but at the same time I fully respect the decision. We're in a results business and fundamentally our results weren't good enough. It's time for someone else to have a go.”