Joe Root’s second tenure as England’s Test captain got off to a spectacular start at Headingley, where his side dismissed Pakistan for just 171 runs. Both Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue produced remarkable five‑wicket hauls, turning the match in England’s favour after a long rain interruption and a brief resurgence from the visitors. Root has been reinstated as skipper following Ben Stokes’ unexpected retirement in June. He inherits a side that has struggled, losing seven of its last ten Tests across series against India, Australia and New Zealand, with only a single win to its name.
The pressure is on him to reverse the trend and restore England’s confidence. The first day was plagued by wet conditions, with play suspended from 11:50 am until 1:45 pm. When the rain finally cleared, Pakistan’s top order, anchored by Abdullah Shafique’s 61 and Imam‑ul‑Haq’s 42, built a 91‑run partnership for the sixth wicket. However, England’s bowlers struck back swiftly.
Robinson claimed five wickets for 51 runs, while Tongue took five for 46, wrapping up Pakistan’s innings in just 48.1 overs. England’s reply was steady but cautious.
After 25 overs they were 112 for 2, trailing by 59 runs. Joe Root contributed a solid 37 not out, Emilio Gay added 33, and newcomer Jordan Cox, who replaced the injured Jacob Bethell at number three, scored 23 not out.
Their partnership of 64 runs carried the team to the 7:30 pm tea break. Root’s earlier spell as captain from 2017 to 2022 preceded the high‑octane “Bazball” era.
This time, after winning the toss under overcast skies at his home ground, he elected to bowl first – a decision that paid immediate dividends. Robinson’s opening spell produced a rare platinum duck, dismissing Azan Awais lbw on the very first ball of a Test in England, a feat not seen in 19 years. He then trapped Shan Masood lbw, further unsettling the Pakistani batting line‑up. When play resumed after the rain, Pakistan managed only 23 for 2 from 9.4 overs.
England’s fielding side used two reviews in search of breakthroughs, but the breakthrough finally came when Tongue dismissed Imam‑ul‑Haq, igniting a collapse. Pakistan lost their last eight wickets for 74 runs, with the final five falling for just 21. Robinson’s delivery that bowled Shafique was described as a “beauty” that jagged dramatically, while he also dismissed Saud Shakeel lbw after a missed review that could have saved the batsman.
Tongue was on the verge of a hat‑trick after the tea break. He had already removed stand‑in captain Salman Ali Agha, who was deputising for the injured Babar Azam, and then trapped Ali Usman lbw.
A potential fourth wicket was denied when Khurram Shahzad struck a powerful cover‑driven four, but Tongue soon secured his fourth five‑for of the series by dismissing Mohammad Rizwan lbw and then clean‑bowling Mohammad Abbas. Robinson’s performance marked his fifth five‑wicket haul in Test cricket and his second of the summer.
He could have achieved the milestone a couple of balls earlier, had Gus Atkinson not misfielded Khurram’s edge. Atkinson later redeemed himself by taking a catch when Khurram attempted another aggressive shot. The day also highlighted the contrast between England’s pace attack. While Robinson and Tongue bowled with pinpoint accuracy, Jofra Archer struggled with consistency, leaking runs at times and appearing out of rhythm after a prolonged focus on limited‑overs cricket.
Archer’s figures read 0‑26 from nine overs, with a particularly expensive fourth over conceding 12 runs. Pakistan’s top scorer, Shafique, entered the Test after a 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 red‑ball format, compiling a sixth Test fifty from 82 deliveries before falling to Robinson’s well‑placed delivery.
England’s opener Emilio Gay, who had previously made a pair in the County XI warm‑up, opened his Leeds innings with a nervous single but soon found his rhythm, striking several elegant boundaries before being caught at slip. Looking ahead, England may have to endure another rain‑affected day, as Thursday’s forecast predicts continued poor weather. Nevertheless, the team heads into the next session in a strong position, with Pakistan’s seamers Khurram and Ali unable to match the precision of England’s bowlers, and Root’s leadership appearing steady and confident.
After the match, fast bowler Josh Tongue spoke to Sky Sports, emphasizing the importance of the early session on day two: “We’re in a great position now, but that first hour tomorrow morning could make a big difference. If we focus on that first hour, we can build a solid lead. As a bowling unit we were very good, and Robinson was exceptional – similar to his performance at Lord’s against New Zealand.
He’s an outstanding bowler when he hits his lines and lengths, and he showed that today.” England will look to extend their advantage when play resumes, hoping the weather cooperates. The team’s morale appears lifted, and Root’s return as captain is already yielding promising results, suggesting a potential turning point in a challenging series for England.