The ECB confirmed on Thursday morning something that had become apparent long ago: England 's 2026 Test summer is a write-off. The review's conclusion was to keep the status quo, with Gould insisting that England's management could "adapt and evolve". Instead, in sticking with McCullum, England lost Stokes. Fleming plans to travel to the UK later this summer after a break at home with his family in New Zealand, though not in time for England's Test series against Pakistan in mid-August. It made the ECB's position far weaker after the Ashes: McCullum had two years left on a lucrative deal, and sacking him altogether would have cost them an exorbitant sum.