'Don't you dare turn your eyes up at a woman coach' - Sarah Taylor speaks as England Men's Fielding Caoch

Sarah Taylor, the first female coach to work with England Men's senior cricket team, has spoken candidly about the attention her role draws and what she hopes it means for women in coaching. Taylor was appointed fielding coach for England Men's Test series against New Zealand on May 13, on a short-term basis while regular fielding coach Carl Hopkinson was on IPL duty with Mumbai Indians.

Taylor has since continued working with England Men's white-ball teams under head coach Brendon McCullum, with T20I and ODI series against Sri Lanka scheduled for later in September 2026. Her future involvement with the Test side remains uncertain ahead of new coach Stephen Fleming's appointment for the winter tour of South Africa.

Her path to this point has been built steadily. Taylor won 226 caps across all formats for England Women in a 13-year international career, including the 2017 World Cup victory. She became the first female specialist coach for an English men's county team when she was appointed wicketkeeping coach for Sussex on March 15, 2021. She later worked as assistant coach with Andrew Flintoff on the England Lions squad during winter 2025-26 and coached Gujarat Giants in the Women's Premier League before her England Men's Test appointment. Taylor acknowledged that her presence in men's coaching is less novel than it might appear, while also accepting that it continues to attract notice.

"If this is now opening people's eyes to realise that, 'don't you dare turn your eyes up at a woman coach', and you look and see what they're about, and what they can bring to a team as a human being," Taylor said in an exclusive interview with Cricinfo.

What has Taylor contributed on the field?

Taylor's coaching input has already produced a measurable result during the England Men's Test summer. She suggested that wicketkeeper Jamie Smith stand up to the stumps to Ollie Robinson, a tactical adjustment that contributed to Robinson taking 23 wickets in the international season.

Taylor has been coaching men's teams for well into her sixth year as of September 2026, a fact she says is less widely appreciated than it should be. She has worked across men's and women's franchise cricket in England and India, building a coaching record that spans multiple formats and competitions. Despite the significance of her appointments, Taylor has remained grounded about the experience.

"I still pinch myself most mornings, because this is ridiculous. I've just got to work with some amazing people," Taylor said.

What does Taylor want for the future of women in coaching?

Taylor has been coaching men's teams for well into her sixth year, a tenure she says is longer than some people realise. Her comfort zone is applying her expertise rather than seeking attention, but she is open about hoping her journey creates space for others who follow. Her role with England Men's white-ball sides under McCullum continues into the Sri Lanka series in September 2026, keeping her at the centre of the England set-up for now. She has not ruled out further ambitions in the coaching world. She said:

"It would be cool, wouldn't it, just to be the head coach of some men's team at some point, but ... who knows? I'm just enjoying the journey that I'm in," Taylor said.