Stephen Fleming targets No 1 as England Test coach

Stephen Fleming used his first press conference as England's Test coach to set out one ambition above all others: top of the world rankings.

"I would love to be in charge of the No 1 Test team in the world. That would be my aspiration... and as a New Zealander I have watched and loved the Ashes all my cricketing life so to be part of that is an absolute highlight. I can't wait for that," Fleming said.

He watched much of his new job from a distance. England beat Pakistan 3-0 in the Test series while Fleming attended to family and commercial commitments, leaving the dugout to others during a tour that also saw Brydon Carse dropped amid a police investigation and Pakistan recall nearly half their squad after the Lord's defeat. Fleming said the wait had at least given him time to think through what he wants from the role.

He also backed the World Test Championship, a competition England have often treated as an afterthought but which Fleming's New Zealand won in 2021. "It's aspirational. England could do much better than that, even the attitude around the over-rate comes down to identity and style of play. If that's one of the pinnacle trophies in world cricket, why would we not be trying to get it along with every other marquee event that comes our way?"

Fleming succeeds Brendon McCullum, an old friend and teammate who continues as white-ball coach, and was asked whether he had taken on a big-brother role. "You could probably say that. It's a challenge at times, but he's great. We've a lot of shared experience through cricket and socially, sport and golf. I have a lot of respect for him."

He praised the approach McCullum built with Ben Stokes. "The way they changed the nature of Test cricket was quite remarkable. I have a huge amount of respect for the courage that took." Fleming added that the last 12 months had not gone the way the pair would have liked.

The Ashes now stand as the first real test of that ambition, and with England already unbeaten under his watch even in absentia, Fleming's target of the No 1 ranking will be measured against results rather than words from here.