Joe Root’s second tenure as England’s Test skipper kicked off in spectacular fashion at Headingley, where his side bundled out Pakistan for just 171 runs. The English bowlers, Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue, each claimed five wickets, delivering a masterclass that came after a long rain interruption and a brief resurgence from the visitors.
Root has been reinstated as captain following Ben Stokes’ unexpected retirement in June. He inherits a side that has struggled, having suffered seven defeats and secured only a single win in its last ten matches across series against India, Australia and New Zealand. The pressure is on him to reverse the fortunes of a team that has looked shaky in recent months. The first day was marked by wet conditions that halted play from 11:50 am until 1:45 pm.
When the rain finally cleared, Pakistan’s top order, led by Abdullah Shafique (61) and Imam‑ul‑Haq (42), stitched together a 91‑run partnership for the sixth wicket. However, England’s bowlers struck back swiftly, wrapping up the Pakistani innings in just 48.1 overs. England then began their reply and were 112‑2 after 25 overs, still 59 runs behind the opposition.
The scorecard read: - Pakistan 171 all out (48.1 overs): Shafique 61, Imam‑ul‑Haq 42, Salman Ali Agha 21; Josh Tongue 5‑46, Ollie Robinson 5‑51. - England 112‑2 (25 overs): Joe Root 37* (no ball), Emilio Gay 33, Jordan Cox 23* (no ball), Ben Duckett 15.
England lost two early wickets – Duckett was caught behind off Mohammad Abbas and Gay fell to Mohammad Ali – leaving Cox and Root to steady the ship. The pair added an unbeaten stand of 64 runs before stumps, taking the score to 112‑2 at the close of play. Root’s first spell as captain, which lasted from 2017 to 2022, preceded the high‑octane “Bazball” era. On his home ground under overcast skies, he won the toss and chose to bowl, a decision that paid immediate dividends.
Robinson’s opening spell produced a rare platinum duck for Azan Awais, who was dismissed lbw on the very first ball of a Test in England – a feat not seen for 19 years. He then trapped Shan Masood (5) leg‑before‑wicket. When play resumed after the rain, Pakistan managed 23‑2 in 9.4 overs before the interruption. England used two of its reviews in search of wickets but to no avail.
Once the rain stopped, Pakistan surged to 97‑3, only for Tongue to claim a crucial wicket, dismissing Imam‑ul‑Haq and triggering a dramatic collapse. The visitors lost their final eight wickets for 74 runs, with the last five falling for just 21 runs. Robinson’s spell was particularly lethal, dismissing Shafique with a sharp delivery that seemed to split the stumps, and later getting Saud Shakeel lbw after the batsman’s review request was denied. Tongue flirted with a hat‑trick after tea, having already removed stand‑in captain Salman Ali Agha (21) and then catching Ali Usman lbw.
Pakistan’s lower order offered a brief resistance when Khurram Shahzad (14) struck a powerful cover‑driven four, but Tongue completed his second five‑for of the match by removing Mohammad Rizwan (12) lbw and then dismissing Abbas (2) off the off‑stump. Robinson’s five‑for marked his fifth five‑wicket haul in Test cricket and his second of the current summer.
He could have taken the final wicket a couple of deliveries earlier, but a misfield by Gus Atkinson gave Khurram a chance to survive. Nonetheless, Atkinson later made a crucial contribution when he caught a slicing shot from Khurram.
Robinson’s performance echoed his debut Test against New Zealand at Lord’s, where he claimed a triple‑wicket maiden, finished with seven wickets, and earned the Player of the Match award. His line and length were immaculate at Headingley as well.
In contrast, Jofra Archer struggled to find his rhythm, conceding 12 runs in his fourth over and appearing out of practice after a long spell of white‑ball cricket. He bowled nine overs for 26 runs without taking a wicket and seemed to be adjusting back to the red‑ball game. Shafique entered the Test after a solid fifty in a warm‑up match against a County Select XI and a unbeaten 160 in a recent West Indies victory.
He seemed comfortable with the longer format, compiling a sixth Test half‑century from 82 balls before falling to Robinson’s precise delivery. England’s opener Emilio Gay, who had previously scored a pair against Pakistan in the warm‑up, got off the mark quickly in Leeds with a nervous single, followed by a series of well‑timed boundaries before being caught at slip. Looking ahead, England may have to wait a while for their next innings, as Thursday’s weather forecast predicts further rain. Nevertheless, the team will head into the second day in a strong position, with Pakistan’s seamers Khurram and Ali unable to match England’s bowling precision, and Root’s leadership appearing steady and confident.
Josh Tongue, speaking to Sky Sports after his five‑for, said: "We’re in a great position now, but that first hour tomorrow morning could be decisive. If we focus on that early spell, we can build a solid lead.
As a bowling unit we performed excellently, and Robinson was outstanding – much like his display at Lord’s against New Zealand. When he hits his lines and lengths, he’s a truly exceptional bowler." The second day of the first Test between England and Pakistan at Headingley is set to begin at 11 am, weather permitting, with live coverage on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event. The English side will look to extend their advantage and give Joe Root the early success he needs to steer the team back to winning ways.