Gray hairs and Baggy Greens: how Australia’s Test team ranks amongst the oldest ever

When Pat Cummins won the toss for the first Test against South Africa in Durban, he didn’t just name a cricket team; he selected a historic artifact. With Cameron Green out injured, for the first time in Australia’s 149-year men’s Test history, not a single player in the playing XI was in his 20s. Anchored by the 38-year-old Nathan Lyon and balanced by a ‘youthful’ 30-year-old Matt Renshaw, the team’s average age was a staggering 34.59 years old.

While critics might label them ‘Dad’s Army,’ this ultra-experienced unit proved their class by hunting down a thrilling opening Test victory. Statistically, they have entered rarefied air: this line-up is officially the seventh oldest playing XI in the history of Test cricket, and the single oldest fielded by any nation in nearly a century.

But who beats them? To find the ultimate collection of cricketing relics, we must travel back to an era of woollen trousers, uncovered pitches, and remarkable longevity. Here are the five oldest playing XIs ever to take the field in Test cricket history.

1. England vs. West Indies (Kingston, 1930) – average age: 37.5 years

The undisputed kings of the veteran cricket scene, England’s tour of the Caribbean in 1930 rewrote the record books. In the fourth and final Test at Sabina Park, a legendary “Timeless Test”, captain Freddie Calthorpe led a side that averaged an astonishing 37.5 years of age. The squad was heavily weighted down by the immortal Wilfred Rhodes, who was playing at 52 years old, alongside the 39-year-old Andy Sandham (who famously celebrated by scoring 325). Even with 20-year-old Bill Voce in the side to pull the numbers down, this line-up remains unmatched as the oldest collective ever assembled on a Test field.

2. England vs. West Indies (Georgetown, 1930) – average age: 36.6 years

The same 1930 tour also claimed the silver medal. For the third Test in Guyana, England’s selectors leaned so heavily into county cricket experience that the final eleven averaged 36.6 years of age. Without modern sports science, ice baths, or specialized fitness trainers, this generation relied on sheer grit, technique, and perhaps a spot of afternoon tea to power through gruelling five-day matches in the tropical heat.

Also read: T20 ghosts – five IPL cult heroes who have never played international cricket

3. England vs. West Indies (Port of Spain, 1930) – average age: 36.3 years

Sensing a pattern yet? The 1930 England tour of the West Indies holds the top four spots for the oldest teams ever fielded. For the second Test in Trinidad, the visitors rolled out an XI with an average age of 36.3 years. West Indies cricket fans were treated to a traveling museum of English cricket royalty, proving that class truly is permanent, even if the knees are a little stiff.

4. England vs. West Indies (Bridgetown, 1930) – average age: 35.8 years

The series opener in Barbados set the tone for the entire tour. England took the field with an average age of 35.8 years. It remains highly unlikely that any modern international cricket team will ever sweep the board quite like this vintage English squad, as modern scheduling and intense athletic demands usually force players into retirement long before their late 30s.

5. Australia vs. England (Melbourne, 1928) – average age: 34.8 years

Before the current side in South Africa set social media alight, the standard for Australian veteran teams belonged to the legendary 1928/29 Ashes series. In the second Test at the MCG, an Australian team featuring icons like Jack Ryder and a 46-year-old ironman bowler named Bert Ironmonger averaged 34.8 years of age.

While the current Australian side fell just short of the top five, their achievement in Durban marks a fascinating shift in how modern players manage their careers. With elite conditioning and global T20 leagues extending athletic lifespans, Cummins’ men are showing that quite possibly 30 is the new 20 in the world of Test cricket.

Read next: The four problems South Africa must resolve against Australia

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The four problems South Africa must resolve against Australia

South Africa lost a Test match and Temba Bavuma’s undefeated record as Test skipper came to an end in Durban on Tuesday. It had to happen at some point and to be fair, it was hardly surprising that it happened when it did.

Why? When the Proteas squared up against the top ranked side in the world, they did so not having played a Test for almost a year. To expect Bavuma and his charges to be on top of their game immediately was probably asking too much.

The good news is that the series against Australia involves three-matches. Following the defeat in Durban the action moves to Gqeberha and then Cape Town. There is plenty of opportunity for South Africa to turn things around and still win the series.

Undoubtedly, they need to make some tweaks and changes if this is to happen; Australia will take lots of confidence from the Durban win.

But the Proteas can only worry about the things that they can control – so what do they need to do ahead of the trip to St Georges Park to ensure that they are better equipped to win in the second game of the series.

Get their heads right

Test cricket is very different from T20I and ODI cricket, but all too often, when a team hasn’t played Tests for a while, the lines between the different formats become blurred. In white ball cricket getting bat on ball is critical. If you are not hitting the ball, you are not scoring runs, and if you are not scoring runs you are putting your team under pressure. That is how it works if T20Is where any dot-ball is a gift to the bowling side. That’s simply not the case in Test cricket which is an attritional game. It’s played over five days and occupying the crease and wearing your opponent’s down is a huge element of the game.

In Kingsmead far too many Proteas batsmen were focussed on being aggressive and trying to dominate through run scoring alone. The Ryan Rickelton, who fell for scores of 0 and 2 (driving at a wide one in the first innings and attempting to hook in the second) was a whole lot less circumspect than the Rickelton who bagged a double ton against Pakistan at the start of 2025. Rickelton could have left both the deliveries that removed him, but he chose to play them and he paid the price. Those were deliveries that would have been played early in a T20I, and they are deliveries that could be played once set, in a Test. They are not shots to be played when you are behind in the game and looking to fight your way out of trouble.

And it wasn’t just Rickelton who was injudicious. Reflecting on the situation after the game, skipper Temba Bavuma told the media: “You can never really prepare for Test cricket without playing Test cricket. But a lot of the mistakes we made out there were mental, so I think that’s where we really let ourselves down.”

Also read: T20 ghosts – five IPL cult heroes who have never played international cricket

Balancing the bowling

The Proteas opted to play two spinners in Durban with Simon Harmer and Keshav Maharaj both getting the nod. Between them the duo managed four wickets in the game and never genuinely looked threatening. They are both good spinners and one of them will play in Gqeberha, but surely just one of them. Kagiso Rabada was missing for the Durban Test, and it looks like he could be fit in time for the second game, but don’t for a minute think that it was Rabada’s absence that hamstrung South Africa. KG was replaced by Anrich Nortje who bowled well and ended with four wickets and, more importantly, with his reputation enhanced. He was quick and menacing and he pummelled the Baggy Green batters.

If Rabada cannot play, then the Proteas need to back Duan Jansen or Corbin Bosch. Wiaan Mulder is excellent and will surely play again, but he is an allrounder rather than an out and out bowling menace, and the Proteas need to bring unrelenting menace to the party in the same way that Australia did with Josh Hazelwood, Mitchell Starc and pat Cummins.

Spend time studying Matt Renshaw

Ahead of the first Test there would have been very few people backing Matt Renshaw to be the man to almost single-handedly demolish the World Test Champions. Across the four innings of the entire Test, there were only three individual scores of more than 50. Two of those scores belonged to Renshaw who hit 190 and 82. If the Proteas can work out how to dismiss him, they will do their cause the world of good.

He has weaknesses, everyone does. Expect the Protea analysts to spend a lot of time in the build up to the next game looking at Renshaw’s technique with a magnifying glass. No other Australian batsman passed 50 in the Test – if the Proteas can find a way to remove Renshaw, they will immediately be in a better place.

Is it time for Marques Ackerman?

Ackerman was widely expected to make his Test debut in Durban, but it didn’t happen. He has waited patiently for a chance to play Test cricket with some excellent knocks playing for South Africa A. Ackerman has shown an ability to concentrate for long periods and to play big innings. He won’t let anyone down. But if he is drafted into the side, whose place does he take? The selectors probably thought long and hard between Ackerman and David Bedingham ahead of the first Test. Like Ackerman, Bedingham has been in excellent domestic form recently. He got the nod, probably because he was already an experienced Test player. Compared with the rest of the batting unit (Aiden Markram excepted), Bedingham did well. He posted scores of 49 and 46, which is a good return, but in some ways a terrible one… Having made starts in both innings he really should have gone on to turn his 40’s into centuries.

That said, it will be hard to leave Bedingham out of the next Test. So, who goes? Rickelton? Tristan Stubbs? If Rickelton is dropped, then who opens the batting? And is it fair to drop Stubbs who scored a century for South Africa on the tour to India (the last series played before Australia).

What is a non-negotiable is that the batters need to pitch up in Port Elizabeth with the type of steel and determination that Aiden Markram brought to Durban. It was too easy for Australia to take South African wickets in the series opener and that must change before play begins at St Georges Park.

Read next: Which batters have been the most successful against India?

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What to expect from Shai Hope and company against India

Matches played between the West Indies and India serve as a celebration of pure, unadulterated entertainment in T20I cricket.

The West Indies team has always carried a big reputation in this specific format, having won multiple T20 World Cup titles on the backs of their destructive batting line-ups.

When they face India, there is a distinct desire to assert psychological dominance over the world’s most well-funded cricket system. West Indian batters generally approach these matches with an all-out attack mentality, looking to exploit the boundaries from the very first ball.

This intense mindset creates fascinating statistical profiles. Several of their top stars boast vastly superior numbers against India compared to their career matches against other nations.

The Indian bowling attack, renowned for its tactical discipline and variations, provides the ultimate litmus test for the Caribbean power hitters.

Facing world class spinners and elite death bowlers requires a blend of sheer muscle and situational awareness.

As the current bilateral series unfolds, analysing the records of the top seven West Indian run scorers reveals the players who have mastered the art of taking down the Indian bowling machine over the last decade.

1. Nicholas Pooran

Nicholas Pooran sits proudly at the top of the mountain as the premier run scorer for the West Indies against India. The dynamic left-hander has built an exceptional record, aggregating nearly six hundred runs across twenty innings.

His performances against India have consistently been a step above his standard career figures, with his average against them being noticeably higher than his global T20I average.

Pooran’s finest hour against India came during the 2022 series, where he amassed a remarkable one hundred and eighty-four runs across three matches, hitting three consecutive half-centuries.

His ability to tear into both express pace and elite spin makes him an indispensable asset.

Whenever Pooran gets going, he completely dictates the tempo of the game, leaving the opposition searching for answers. Sadly, for now he is retired from international cricket, focussing his attentions on the franchise leagues.

2. Shimron Hetmyer

Shimron Hetmyer has been a consistent thorn in the side of the Indian team, advancing his tally dramatically over the course of the ongoing matches.

Piling up four hundred and seventy runs in twenty-two innings, the explosive left-hander continues to play with his natural aggressive intent. His strike rate of over one hundred and thirty-seven shows how quickly he can take a game away from the opposition.

His numbers against India closely mirror his general career statistics, showing that he maintains his natural explosive style against world-class opposition.

His ability to clear the boundary at will during the middle and death overs makes him a crucial component of the team’s batting blueprint.

Also read: Five uncapped domestic stars set to spark bidding wars at IPL mega auction

3. Rovman Powell

The powerful middle-order powerhouse Rovman Powell has regularly delivered devastating performances against the Indian bowling group. Advancing his tally to four hundred and thirty-seven runs, Powell scores at an impressive strike rate of over 141.

His highest score against them remains a brutal 68*, an innings where he dismantled the spin department.

Powell’s average and strike rate against India are both superior to his long-term career averages, proving that he thrives under the unique pressure of playing against the subcontinental heavyweights.

His immense physical power allows him to clear even the largest boundaries, turning him into a nightmare for death bowlers.

4. Brandon King

Brandon King established himself as a reliable and classy presence at the top of the order for the West Indies.

He accumulated over three hundred runs across fifteen innings against India. King’s crowning achievement against this opponent arrived during the deciding match of the 2023 T20I series in Lauderhill.

In that crucial game, he smashed a magnificent, unbeaten 85 off just 55 deliveries, a match-winning knock that successfully guided the West Indies to a historic series victory.

His numbers against India are very comparable to his overall international career metrics, confirming his status as a dependable big-match player who can anchor an innings while scoring at a healthy clip.

5. Kieron Pollard

The legendary former captain Kieron Pollard has a storied history against India, a country where he has also enjoyed immense success in domestic franchise cricket.

In international fixtures, Pollard has scored over three hundred runs at an excellent average of over thirty-two and a blazing strike rate of 142.

His finest performance was a vintage, unbeaten 68 that kept his side competitive against a rampant Indian batting unit. Pollard’s average against India is notably higher than his standard career T20I average.

His immense experience playing in Indian conditions allowed him to read the bowlers perfectly, often saving his best, most destructive performances for these high-profile clashes.

6. Evin Lewis

Evin Lewis possesses a truly terrifying record against India, despite having played only seven innings. In those few matches, he has blasted over three hundred runs at an unbelievable average of over 53 and an astonishing strike rate of over 174.

Lewis has scored two phenomenal T20I centuries against India, making him the only player to achieve this unique feat. His most jaw-dropping performance was an unbeaten 125 off just 62 balls at Kingston in 2017, an innings that included a record-breaking twelve sixes.

His statistics against India are vastly superior to his already excellent career numbers, highlighting a supreme level of comfort and dominance over their bowling attack.

7. Shai Hope

Bursting into the top seven is the sensational Shai Hope, whose recent multi-format transformation has completely rewritten modern cricket records. Hope has officially bypassed the legendary Lendl Simmons by accumulating 310 runs against this opposition.

His defining masterclass came during the ongoing series at Ranchi, where he blasted a breath-taking, unbeaten 102 runs off just 45 deliveries.

This spectacular knock featured nine massive sixes and anchored a historic, record-breaking chase of 250.

His strike rate against India sits much higher than his traditional career template, proving that his new, ultra-aggressive style is perfectly suited for dismantling the Indian bowling attack.

Read next: Seven iconic individual displays from the great Australia-South Africa Test rivalry

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7 iconic individual displays from the great Australia-South Africa Test rivalry

As Australia and the Proteas prepare to clash this Friday, for the first time since their epic World Test Championship final at Lord’s, cricket fans are bracing for another chapter in one of the sport’s most intense rivalries.

With top-ranked Australia facing off against the reigning Test Champion Proteas, the weight of history hangs heavy over this fixture.

Over the decades, this specific matchup has brought out the best in world-class players, producing moments of sheer brilliance, grit, and hostility.

Before the first ball is bowled on Friday, let’s look back at seven of the most outstanding individual performances that have defined this modern cricketing battleground.

1. Shane Warne – 12 wickets for 128 runs (Melbourne, 1992)

Before he became a global phenomenon, a young Shane Warne announced his genius to the world against South Africa at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. In just his fifth Test match, the leg-spinner bamboozled the Proteas batting lineup on a turning Boxing Day pitch.

After taking three wickets in the first innings, Warne tore through the visitors in the second innings with a masterful 7 for 52.

His drift and venomous turn left the South African batsmen clueless, securing a dramatic 139-run victory for Australia and signalling the arrival of a bowling icon.

2. Fanie de Villiers – 6 wickets for 43 runs and 10-wicket match (Sydney, 1994)

Defending a meagre target of 117 in the fourth innings at the Sydney Cricket Ground, South Africa’s chances were famously rated at 100-to-1. Enter “Vinnige Fanie”.

In only his second Test match, De Villiers delivered an extraordinary exhibition of medium-fast swing and cut. He claimed 4 for 80 in the first innings, but it was his blistering 6 for 43 in the second innings that ripped the heart out of the Australian batting order.

Searing accurate spells ended with a famous return catch off Glenn McGrath, securing an impossible five-run victory that remains etched in folklore.

3. AB de Villiers – 106 not out (Perth, 2008)

Chasing 414 runs in the fourth innings at the WACA is widely considered an impossible task, but AB de Villiers made it look like a casual Sunday afternoon.

In one of South Africa’s greatest overseas victories, De Villiers anchored a historic run chase with a flawless, unbeaten century.

Facing a world-class Australian attack on a fast, bouncy pitch, his masterclass in composure and shot selection guided the Proteas to the second-highest successful run chase in Test history, breaking Australia’s psychological stronghold.

Also read: How the 2027 Cricket World Cup draw played out and what it means for each country

4. Dale Steyn – 10 wickets for 154 runs and 76 runs (Melbourne, 2008)

South Africa’s historic 2008 series win in Australia was sealed at the MCG, driven by a virtuoso all-round performance from Dale Steyn. After taking 5 for 87 in the first innings, Steyn walked out to bat with the Proteas reeling at 184 for 7.

He played a gritty, career-defining knock of 76, combining with JP Duminy for an essential partnership that shifted momentum.

He then returned with the ball to claim 5 for 67, completely dismantling the hosts and handing South Africa their first-ever Test series victory on Australian soil.

5. Vernon Philander – 5 wickets for 15 runs (Cape Town, 2011)

In a Test match that defied all logic, Vernon Philander produced what is quite possibly one of the most devastating spells of seam bowling ever witnessed.

Australia had taken a commanding first-innings lead and looked set to dominate, but Philander turned the game on its head in the second innings.

Generating unplayable movement off the pitch at Newlands, he dismantled the Australian batting order in a matter of overs, bowling them out for a humiliating 47 runs. His 5 for 15 in what his debut match was, set up a famous Proteas win.

6. Faf du Plessis – 110 not out (Adelaide, 2012)

Very few Test debuts carry the immense pressure that Faf du Plessis faced during the final day in Adelaide. Tasked with batting out nearly four sessions to save the match against a relentless Australian bowling attack, Du Plessis displayed superhuman resilience.

He batted for over seven and a half hours, facing 376 balls to finish unbeaten on 110. It was a masterclass in defensive technique and mental fortitude that secured an improbable draw and laid the foundation for a historic series win.

7. Mitchell Johnson – 12 wickets for 127 runs (Centurion, 2014)

At the peak of his powers, Mitchell Johnson was the most terrifying fast bowler on the planet, and South Africa felt the full force of his venom at Centurion.

Bowling with ferocious pace and lethal accuracy, Johnson picked up 7 for 68 in the first innings and backed it up with a further 5 for 59 in the second.

His hostile short-pitched bowling physically bruised the Proteas batsmen and rattled the host nation, resulting in a crushing 280-run victory for Australia.

Read next: 6 huge questions South Africa need to answer during Test series against Aussies

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How the 2027 Cricket World Cup draw played out and what it means for each country

The countdown to the biggest cricket event on African soil in 24 years has officially begun.

The International Cricket Council and Cricket South Africa unveiled the official draw and schedule for the 2027 Men’s ODI Cricket World Cup at a star-studded event in Cape Town.

Running from 2 October to 21 November 2027, the expanded 14-team mega-tournament will be co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia across 12 spectacular venues.

With iconic rivalries locked in, a revamped competitive format, and massive talking points already emerging, here is everything you need to know about the blockbuster draw.

The ‘group of death’ is real

Cricket purists and casual fans alike are salivating over Group A, which has instantly been dubbed the tournament’s group of death.

The draw has crammed India, Australia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and co-hosts Zimbabwe into the same pool, alongside one qualifier.

This heavy-metal group guarantees massive, high-stakes television ratings and ensures that at least one global powerhouse will face an anxious battle just to make it out of the opening stage.

Read next: Will drop-in pitches harm the 2027 Cricket World Cup?

England can breathe a huge sigh of relief

If Group A is a gauntlet, England will be privately celebrating their placement in Group B. The English side avoided reigning champions Australia and world number one ranked India for the opening round.

Instead, England finds themselves grouped with co-hosts South Africa, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and a qualifier.

While Group B is far from easy; especially with a dangerous Proteas side playing on home soil, it offers a significantly smoother path to the next round compared to the Group A minefield.

The technicalities: a brand new four-stage format

The ICC has completely revamped the tournament structure, moving away from the single-round-robin format used in 2023. Here is how the new Super Series and Super 7 pipeline work.

• The preliminary super series: Before the main event, the three lower-ranked qualifiers will play a three-team shootout in Windhoek, Namibia, starting October 2 to claim the final spot in the main draw.
• The group stage: The 12 remaining teams are split into two groups of six.
• The super 7 phase: The top three teams from Group A and Group B automatically advance. They are joined by the single best fourth-placed finisher across both groups to create a seven-team second round.
• The knockouts: The top four sides from the Super 7 stage progress to the semi-finals.

Mouth-watering mega-matchups

The fixture list has wasted absolutely no time delivering blockbuster action.

The main group stage opens with what should be a classic on 7 October 2027, featuring a repeat of the 2023 World Cup final as India faces Australia in Cape Town.

If that isn’t enough to satisfy fans, the ultimate cricket rivalry takes centre stage just three days later, when India and Pakistan square off in Johannesburg on 10 October.

Iconic African venues take centre stage

The tournament will utilize 12 world-class venues: eight in South Africa, three in Zimbabwe, and one in Namibia.

The historic Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town and Centurion will play host to the high-pressure semi-finals on 17 and 18 November.

Ultimately, the global champions will be crowned at the famous Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg, which has secured the rights to host the grand final on 21 November 2027.

It was also the host of the 2003 final, the last time South Africa hosted the World Cup.

Read next: The 6 incredible records Shubman Gill broke on his way to 223 not out

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The return of Steve Smith – why SA fans should ditch the sandpaper references

When Steve Smith steps onto the pitch for Australia’s upcoming Test cricket series against the Proteas, it will mark his first time wearing the baggy green in South Africa since the catastrophic 2018 ‘Sandpaper-gate’ scandal in Newlands.

For South African cricket fans, the immediate temptation is obvious: look for the nearest hardware store, buy a sheet of yellow grit, and start chanting from the stands.

But as the old saying goes, just because something is “fair game” doesn’t mean it’s the right play.

Technically, Smith is fair game for the traditionally boisterous banter of South African cricket culture. He was the captain of an Australian team caught in one of the most cynical, premeditated cheating scandals in modern sports history.

He didn’t just break the rules; he fractured the self-righteous image of Australian cricket. The hostile environment of South African grounds is legendary, and a bit of psychological pressure from the crowd is part of the home-ground advantage.

Also read: Will drop-in pitches harm the 2027 Cricket World Cup?

Steven Smith is returning to South Africa

However, there is a distinct line between clever gamesmanship and beating a dead horse. If South African fans spend this entire tour relentlessly heckling Smith about 2018, they aren’t being tough, they are being lazy.

The merit of sledging a player relies entirely on its ability to break their focus. The problem with using ‘Sandpaper-gate’ to rattle Steve Smith in 2026 is that it simply won’t work. Smith has already walked through the fire.

He served a one-year ban, lost the captaincy, and returned to face a fiercely hostile English crowd during the 2019 Ashes. He responded by scoring 774 runs at an average of 110.57.

He has been called every name in the book, wept in front of the world’s media, and spent the last eight years quietly rebuilding his reputation as a modern-day batting great.

He has undeniably done his time. Reminding him of 2018 won’t unnerve him; it will likely just motivate him to score more runs.

Furthermore, let’s ask ourselves how Australians would handle it if the shoe were on the other foot. If a South African player committed a similar infraction, served their time, and toured Australia years later, the Australian public and media would be unyielding.

The crowds at the MCG and SCG would be brutal, likely dragging out the taunts for a decade. Australian sporting culture is notoriously ruthless to visiting teams.

How heavily will Australia rely on Steven Smith against South Africa?

But South Africa fans shouldn’t aim to mimic the worst traits of Aussie crowds. Instead, they should show the cricket world what true sporting maturity looks like.

The ultimate disrespect you can show a legendary batsman like Steve Smith isn’t a chorus of boos or some hackneyed lines that he has heard a million times before – no, it’s indifference. Give him the cold shoulder when he walks out.

Save the deafening roars and aggressive energy to lift the Proteas’ bowlers. Let Kagiso Rabada’s pace and Marco Jansen’s bounce do the talking.

Steve Smith’s return shouldn’t be defined by a mistake he made nearly a decade ago. Let Australia sweat, let the cricket be fierce, but let South Africa’s fans rise above the sandpaper.

The best revenge is winning on the pitch, fair and square. Steve Smith is going to be expecting for the sandpaper comments, make him wait – that will be far more unsettling than handing him the stuff that he and his psychologist have undoubtedly prepared for.

Read next: 5 uncapped domestic stars set to spark bidding wars at IPL mega auction

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Stephen Fleming ‘probably the perfect personality to coach Test cricket’

Former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming has been appointed England Test coach.

Fleming has replaced former England Test coach Brendon McCullum, who has been retained as ODI and T20I coach.

“I played against Fleming a lot back in the day. He was always a calm, thoughtful and composed leader. Honestly, probably the perfect personality to coach Test cricket,” former Australia batsman Damien Martyn told Criclines.

“It creates a really interesting balance now, doesn’t it? You’ve got Brendon McCullum managing the white-ball set-ups with all that high-octane energy and then you bring in Fleming as the calm voice for the Test side. It actually makes a lot of sense, especially given how well those two know each other from their playing days.”

Batsman Joe Root has returned to the England Test captaincy after all-rounder Ben Stokes retired from international cricket.

“With Joe returning to the captaincy, Fleming will bring a bit of focus back into the dressing room. The whole ‘Bazball’ media circus got pretty wild there for a while.

“It wasn’t entirely the players’ fault, the media just ran with it and while it was fantastic when they were chasing down crazy totals, there were times in Australia where England misread the situation.

“Root would have sat back during Stokes’ tenure and taken mental notes. Stokes and McCullum were all-out attack, but Test cricket over five days isn’t always played at 100 miles an hour.

“Sometimes you have to pull it back, calm things down, build pressure and just play traditional Test cricket. Fleming is the ideal guy to instill that discipline.”

Former captain Kevin Pietersen worked with England’s limited-overs squad recently. This mentorship role might extend to the Test squad.

“I’ve caught up with Kevin a few times since retiring and I really like him. Back when we played, he used to annoy the absolute hell out of us. Whether he was out in the field or batting, he was right in your face,” added Martyn.

“But as a cricketer, he was exceptionally clever and had supreme self-belief. He was one of the first guys I saw who could completely dictate terms. He knew when to step on the gas, when to pull it back and how to target specific bowlers.

“Passing that knowledge onto younger players is invaluable. It reminds me a bit of what Dean Jones used to do for Australian one-day cricket. Kevin knows the T20 and one-day game inside out and when he talks tactics, players listen. Honestly, if he enjoys the role, why wouldn’t you bring him on a tour to Australia as part of the set-up? He knows what it takes to win out here.”

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