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Former England women’s wicketkeeper Sarah Taylor has been named the England men’s Test fielding coach for the upcoming series against the New Zealand national cricket team. 

Taylor, who collaborated closely with Andrew Flintoff while working with the England Lions squad over the winter, has taken on this role temporarily to fill in for Carl Hopkinson, who is currently busy with the Mumbai Indians in the IPL. 

Rob Key, the managing director for the England men’s team, confirmed her appointment following the announcement of the Test squad for the New Zealand series at Lord's Cricket Ground on Wednesday. This role represents another significant milestone for Taylor, who will celebrate her 37th birthday next week. 

Recognized as one of the best wicketkeepers in the world, regardless of gender, Taylor earned 226 international caps throughout her 13-year career with the England women's cricket team. She played a vital part in England’s victory at the 2017 Women’s World Cup. 

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Since hanging up her gloves, Taylor has carved out a remarkable coaching career, including stints with Sussex County Cricket Club and Manchester Originals in men’s cricket. This latest appointment is thought to be a historic first, marking the entry of a female coach into a senior men’s international cricket team. 

Her arrival is particularly timely for England, who faced fielding challenges during the recent Ashes series, where dropped catches contributed to a disappointing 4-1 defeat against Australia. 

During that series, England let slip 11 catches, with nearly one in five opportunities going to waste. Their choice to tour Australia without a dedicated fielding coach also faced criticism in the wake of the loss. Hopkinson was reinstated as fielding coach after the Ashes, while Troy Cooley returned as England’s first full-time bowling coach since Jon Lewis departed the role in 2022.