Eric Simmons joins England Test coaching staff as bowling coach
Eric Simmons, former South Africa head coach and CSK bowling coach, has joined England's Test coaching staff ahead of their tour of South Africa.
Former South Africa head coach Eric Simmons has been appointed as England's Test team bowling coach by the England and Wales Cricket Board. The 64-year-old previously served as Chennai Super Kings bowling coach for seven IPL seasons and was South Africa's head coach during the 2003 ODI World Cup.
Simmons will begin his role during England's upcoming tour of South Africa from December 2026 to January 2027. He joins head coach Stephen Fleming, who was appointed earlier this year after serving as CSK head coach from 2009 to 2026.
The ECB confirmed that the coaching staff will be in place for the South Africa Test series and Australia's white-ball tour. Simmons played 23 ODIs for South Africa between 1994 and 1995 and later served as bowling consultant for the Indian men's team for two years.
CricHubb Take
The appointment completes England's shift toward an IPL-derived coaching structure. With Fleming and Simmons both carrying extensive CSK experience, England are betting that franchise methods can translate to Test cricket despite the format's different demands on preparation and workload management.