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. The English bowlers, Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue, each claimed five wickets, turning the match in England's favour despite a lengthy rain interruption and a brief resistance from the visitors. Root resumed the captaincy after Ben Stokes' unexpected retirement in June, inheriting a side that had struggled to find consistency, with seven defeats and only one win in the previous ten Tests against India, Australia and New Zealand.
The pressure was immense, but the home crowd and familiar conditions at Headingley gave him a platform to rebuild confidence. The day began under overcast skies, and rain halted play from 11:50 am until 1:45 pm.
When the umpires finally called the game back into action, Pakistan's top order, led by Abdullah Shafique (61) and Imam‑ul‑Haq (42), managed a partnership of 91 runs for the sixth wicket. Their effort, however, proved insufficient as the English bowlers soon found their rhythm. Robinson and Tongue were relentless. Robinson finished with figures of 5‑51, while Tongue claimed 5‑46, both exploiting the damp pitch and the swinging conditions.
Their spells dismantled Pakistan's batting line‑up, which collapsed from 97‑3 to 171 all out in just 48.1 overs. The visitors lost their final eight wickets for 74 runs, with the last five falling for a mere 21. England's reply was steady but cautious.
After the fall of early wickets—Ben Duckett (15) lbw to Mohammad Abbas and Emilio Gay (33) caught behind by Mohammad Ali—Joe Root (37 not out) and Jordan Cox (23 not out) steadied the innings. Cox, promoted to number three in place of the injured Jacob Bethell, formed an unbeaten partnership of 64 runs with Root, taking the score to 112‑2 after 25 overs, leaving England 59 runs behind at stumps.
The decision to bowl first, made by Root after winning the toss, paid immediate dividends. Robinson's opening delivery trapped Azan Awais for a duck, the first wicket to fall on the very first ball of a Test in England in 19 years.
He then dismissed Shan Masood leg‑before‑wicket, further unsettling the Pakistani top order. When play resumed after the rain, Pakistan briefly rallied to 23‑2 before the interruption.
England used two reviews in an attempt to break through, but the breakthrough finally came when Tongue dismissed Imam‑ul‑Haq, triggering a dramatic collapse. The remaining wickets fell quickly, with Robinson bowling a spectacular delivery to send Abdullah Shafique back to the pavilion and later dismissing Saud Shakeel lbw after a missed review. Tongue was on the brink of a hat‑trick when he bowled stand‑in captain Salman Ali Agha and then trapped Ali Usman lbw. Khurram Shahzad (14) survived the next ball with a powerful cover‑driven four, denying Tongue the hat‑trick, but Tongue completed his five‑wicket haul by removing Mohammad Rizwan (12) lbw and then clean‑bowling Mohammad Abbas (2).
Robinson's performance marked his fifth five‑for in Test cricket and his second of the summer. Earlier in the series, he had been instrumental in England's win over New Zealand at Lord's, where he took a triple‑wicket maiden and finished with seven wickets, earning Player of the Match honors. His line and length at Headingley were equally precise, showcasing his growing stature as a premier fast bowler. In contrast, Jofra Archer struggled to find his rhythm, conceding 12 runs in his fourth over and finishing with figures of 0‑26 from nine overs.
His recent focus on white‑ball cricket appears to have affected his effectiveness with the red ball, and he will need to adjust quickly as England look to build on their early advantage. Pakistan's batting showed flashes of resilience. Shafique entered the Test after a solid fifty in a warm‑up match against a County Select XI and an unbeaten 160 in a recent West Indies victory. He displayed a good understanding of the longer format, crafting a sixth Test fifty from 82 deliveries before falling to Robinson's sharp delivery.
England's Emilio Gay, who had previously struggled in the warm‑up fixture, opened his account in Leeds with a nervous single before finding his footing, scoring a composed 33. His ability to rotate the strike and find the boundary helped England stabilize after early setbacks. Looking ahead, the forecast for Thursday is bleak, with rain likely to interrupt play again.
Nonetheless, England head into the next day with a strong position, having bowled out the opposition for a modest total and holding a solid partnership at the crease. Pakistan's seamers, Khurram and Ali, were unable to match Robinson and Tongue's accuracy, leaking runs and failing to take wickets at crucial moments. Josh Tongue, reflecting on the day's events, told Sky Sports, "We're in a great position now but that first hour tomorrow morning—if we can focus on that—will be vital. As a bowling unit we were very good and Robinson was excellent.
He’s an exceptional bowler when he hits his lines and lengths and he showed that today." With the first innings complete and England holding a 59‑run lead, the stage is set for a compelling second day. If the weather cooperates, England will aim to extend their lead and put Pakistan under pressure once more. The combination of Root's tactical acumen, the firepower of Robinson and Tongue, and the resilience of the middle order could prove decisive as the series unfolds. The match will continue to be streamed live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event, with the next session slated to begin at 11 am on Thursday, weather permitting.