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Stephen Fleming

Stephen Fleming captain
Stephen Fleming captain Image: Wikimedia Commons. Oliver Brown / CC BY-SA 3.0

Overview

Stephen Paul Fleming (born 1 April 1973) is a New Zealand cricket coach and former captain of the New Zealand national cricket team. A left-handed opening batter who occasionally bowled right-arm slow-medium, Fleming is among the most influential figures in New Zealand cricket, both as a long-serving captain and, in the years since his retirement, as a successful Twenty20 head coach across multiple franchise leagues.

Key facts

Full name Stephen Paul Fleming
Date of birth 1 April 1973
Nationality New Zealander
Batting Left-handed (opening batter)
Bowling Right-arm slow-medium (occasional)
Test caps 111 (second-most for New Zealand)
Test wins as captain 28
International retirement 26 March 2008
Honour Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (2011)
Current role Head coach, Chennai Super Kings

Playing career

Fleming represented New Zealand in 111 Test matches, making him the country's second-most capped Test cricketer. As captain, he is New Zealand's longest-serving and most successful Test leader, recording 28 victories. Under his captaincy, New Zealand won the 2000 ICC KnockOut Trophy, the team's first International Cricket Council trophy.

Fleming also led New Zealand in the first-ever Twenty20 International, played against Australia in 2005, marking the format's introduction at international level. He retired from international cricket on 26 March 2008.

Indian Premier League and franchise coaching

Fleming played for the Chennai Super Kings in the inaugural season of the Indian Premier League in 2008. He became head coach of the franchise in 2009, a role he has continued to hold. Under his coaching, Chennai Super Kings have won five IPL titles and two Champions League Twenty20 titles.

Fleming also serves as head coach of other Super Kings franchises, including the Joburg Super Kings in South Africa's SA20 and the Texas Super Kings in Major League Cricket in the United States. From 2015 to 2019, he was head coach of the Melbourne Stars in Australia's Big Bash League.

Honours and recognition

  • Appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to cricket in the 2011 Queen's Birthday Honours.
  • Captain of New Zealand's first ICC trophy-winning side (2000 ICC KnockOut Trophy).
  • Captain in the first Twenty20 International (2005).

Significance

Fleming's career bridges two eras of cricket. As a player, he established himself as one of New Zealand's foremost batters and its most successful Test captain. As a coach, he has been central to the development of the Chennai Super Kings into one of the most decorated franchises in Twenty20 cricket, and his coaching role across the Super Kings group illustrates the globalisation of franchise-based T20 leagues.

References