Joe Root and Marcus Trescothick could be England's captain and coach on an interim basis for their Test series against Pakistan next month, though the ECB are yet to take a final decision on either position.
Rob Key, England's managing director, is running the recruitment process for a new Test head coach along with an external headhunter, and has made contact with multiple potential candidates this week for preliminary conversations. Contenders for the role include Stephen Fleming, Jonathan Trott, Richard Dawson and Tom Moody.
Richard Gould, the ECB's chief executive, said when Brendon McCullum was removed from his role as Test coach that the vacancy would "ideally" be filled before the first Pakistan Test on August 19, but left open the possibility that an interim coach could fill the role. In that instance, Trescothick - previously McCullum's assistant - would likely deputise.
Timelines will depend in part on whether the ECB's preferred candidate is already under contract elsewhere. Fleming and Trott are both free agents after leaving roles with Chennai Super Kings and Afghanistan respectively, but Dawson is Glamorgan's head coach and Moody is employed by Lucknow Super Giants as their global director of cricket.
Andy Flower, who topped the ECB's initial shortlist, ruled himself out of contention for the vacancy last week, citing his desire to continue working for Royal Challengers Bengaluru and London Spirit in franchise cricket. The ECB are open to the idea of a potential job-share, though the practicalities would be far from straightforward.
England have made clear that their short-term priority is to beat Australia next summer. They will play 10 more Tests before the start of the Ashes: three against Pakistan at home (August-September), three in South Africa (December-January), two in Bangladesh (February), the 150th anniversary Test in Melbourne (March) and one at home to Bangladesh (May).
Gould also said earlier this month that the identity of Ben Stokes' successor as captain would ultimately be a choice for the new coach, though hinted that there was an "obvious direction of travel" and that it would be "too much for [one] individual" to lead across formats.
Stokes endorsed Harry Brook, his vice-captain, but he has formed a successful captain-coach dynamic with McCullum since taking charge of England's white-ball teams last summer which the ECB would be reluctant to break up.
The recent T20I (4-0) and ODI (2-1) series wins against India gave a clear indication that the pair are performing well together; the former sent England to No. 1 in the ICC's T20I rankings and the latter has them trending well towards 2027's 50-over World Cup.
The Athletic reported on Friday that Root is set to be named Test captain through to the 2027 Ashes and while the ECB insist no decision has yet been made, he is the favourite to lead in the first Pakistan Test at this stage.
Root, 35, was England's full-time Test captain from 2017-22. He has captained England in 65 Tests, with as many wins as losses (27 of each), but has won only one of his last 18 Tests in charge. He deputised against New Zealand at The Oval last month in Stokes' absence, and said that he had "really enjoyed" returning to the role despite England's 253-run defeat.
Alternative solutions could include appointing Brook captain across formats through to next summer's Ashes; making Brook Test captain while giving another player the role in one or both of the limited-overs formats; or gambling on an inexperienced option such as Jacob Bethell (who is currently injured) as Test captain, with Brook retained in the white-ball roles.
Most of England's Test players are involved in the Hundred, which started on Tuesday, for the next three-and-a-half weeks, while Emilio Gay and Shoaib Bashir are playing for their counties in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup. Their three-match series against Pakistan starts on August 19 at Headingley, three days after the Hundred final.