Andy Flower rules out England Test coach candidacy

Andy Flower, the former England head coach, has ruled himself out of the running to succeed Brendon McCullum as the national team's Test coach. Flower, who currently coaches the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Indian Premier League and the London Spirit in The Hundred, confirmed his decision on July 17, 2026, after speaking with England and Wales Cricket Board managing director Rob Key.

Flower stated he is content with his current roles and that the scheduling conflict between the IPL and the start of the English season made the national job impractical. He explained that if he were the Test coach, he would want to be present in England during the early summer, which would not be possible due to his IPL commitments. He has therefore informed the ECB he will not be a candidate.

The decision represents a setback for the ECB, which is undertaking a significant rebuild of its Test setup. McCullum was removed from his position as Test coach following England's 2-1 home series defeat to New Zealand. That loss came after a challenging period that included a 4-1 Ashes defeat and the retirement of Ben Stokes from international cricket. McCullum remains the team's white-ball coach.