England’s veteran Test skipper Joe Root has confirmed that he feels "as ready as any other England captain" and has no intention of discarding the Bazball philosophy that has defined the team’s recent approach. Root, who has now captained England a record 65 times, stepped back into the role after a tumultuous period that saw Ben Stokes retire and head coach Brendon McCullum dismissed. Despite the upheaval, Root believes only minor tweaks are needed to keep England competitive. Root’s first permanent tenure as England captain ran from 2017 to 2022, ending on a low note with just one win in 17 Tests.
The appointment of Ben Stokes as captain, alongside McCullum’s appointment as red‑ball head coach, ushered in a new era dubbed "Bazball" – a high‑tempo, attacking brand of Test cricket that produced some memorable victories. After a strong start to the Bazball era, England suffered a 2‑1 series loss to New Zealand in the summer, a defeat that coincided with Stokes announcing his retirement at the conclusion of the final Test.
The loss also precipitated McCullum’s removal as head coach. Speaking ahead of the three‑Test series against Pakistan, which begins on Wednesday at Headingley, Root said, "I don't think there's a huge amount we need to change. It's small things that will make a big difference." He stressed that the aim is not to rip up the existing framework but to preserve the positive elements that Ben and Baz built over several years. "It's not about ripping it up, I think it's about keeping a lot of the good stuff we've been doing for a period of time," he explained.
Root also highlighted the need for adaptability in Test cricket, noting that no single style can dominate a five‑day match. "I don't believe there is one way of playing Test cricket. You've got to be adaptable and play the situation.
It's never the same throughout five days; there are different challenges and you have to adjust to the ebbs and flows throughout," he said. When asked about his own readiness, the 35‑year‑old made it clear that his time away from the captaincy has actually enhanced his perspective. "The landscape is different. I'm a different player and person than I was when I first took over as captain," Root said.
He reflected on the wealth of experience he now carries: "I'm in a very fortunate, unique position where I've got 60‑odd games of experience to look back on. There are things I might want to change and do slightly differently. I had time to step away, play in a different environment, under a different coach, different captain, and see the game from a different lens. In many ways I feel as ready as any other England captain that's been before; to have that amount of experience is invaluable." Root expressed genuine excitement about the upcoming series and the chance to start at his home ground.
"I'm really excited. And to get the chance to start at Headingley as well is always nice, my home ground. It's a very talented group of players that are very capable of special things.
I'm really excited about where we can take this team," he added. The decision to appoint Root over white‑ball vice‑captain Harry Brook for the second Test against New Zealand at The Oval – and ultimately for the permanent role following Stokes’ retirement – raised eyebrows. However, Root reassured that Brook will remain the Test vice‑captain and that their relationship remains strong. "Our relationship is exactly as it has been for a long time.
Me and Harry are very good friends and get along well away from cricket, and clearly get the best out of each other when playing together," Root said. He praised Brook’s contributions in limited‑overs cricket and emphasised that leadership is not confined to the captaincy alone: "He's been hugely supportive. I fully feel like he's got my back, as the rest of the guys do.
He's going to be invaluable. He's done some brilliant things already within the white‑ball space. He's a brilliant leader within the group and the fact he's not captain, that shouldn't be taken away from him." Root also acknowledged the void left by Stokes, describing him as a constant presence for fifteen years.
"It's a big void to fill. He's someone who has been ever present for the best part of 15 years. It's been different, but we've only been together as a full team for a day and a half," he admitted, underscoring the challenge of rebuilding a side that has lost both its charismatic leader and a key middle‑order batsman.
Looking ahead, when pressed about the possibility of returning to the side for a home Ashes series in 2027, Root deflected, saying, "Who knows? That's a question for Ben. We need to look after the here and now, and that's this series." On the Pakistani side, captain Babar Azam will miss the series opener after sustaining a finger injury.
He was first struck on his right hand against the West Indies earlier in the month and then suffered a further blow from England Under‑19 pacer Manny Lumsden in a tour match at Beckenham. Although medical scans cleared him of a fracture, swelling remains, and head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed confirmed that Salman Ali Agha will stand in as captain at Headingley. "Babar Azam is not available, Salman will be captain," Ahmed said. He added, "It's not broken, there is a little bit of swelling on the finger.
Hopefully he will be available for the second Test match." Babar’s absence is a significant loss for Pakistan, not only because he is the on‑field leader but also due to his prolific batting record – nine Test centuries and an average of 43.68. Saad Shakeel is expected to be drafted into the XI to fill the batting gap left by Babar’s injury. Sky Sports analyst James Cole summed up the situation for England, noting that Root is "inheriting a big rebuilding job". England have lost seven of their last ten Tests, dismissed head coach Brendon McCullum, and said goodbye to Stokes, whose aggressive Bazball approach had become a hallmark of the side.
Cole pointed out the challenges in the batting order: "They've lost their head coach Brendon McCullum and their captain Ben Stokes, who had been such a mainstay of the Test team for so long and led such a unique, attacking brand of cricket called Bazball. As well as losing Stokes from the middle order, who was the glue and provided balance between the batting and bowling, they've got an opener Emilio Gay who has played just three Tests and is out of form, and a rookie at number three in Jordan Cox, who has only batted there once before.
In place of the talismanic Stokes, Dan Lawrence comes back in and offers a spinning all‑rounder option, but he hasn't played a Test in two years. It's fair to say Root has got a lot on his hands, but he's up for the challenge." The first Test between England and Pakistan will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event from 10:15 am (first ball at 11 am) on Wednesday.
Fans can also stream the match via NOW, the Sky Sports app, or listen to the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast for ongoing coverage.