Joe Root believes that the turbulence England experienced this summer has taught the team important lessons and left them "well placed" as they head into the upcoming winter tour of South Africa. The captain highlighted the significance of the recent whitewash of Pakistan on home soil, where England secured a historic series victory. In the third Test at Edgbaston, Root (62 not out) and middle‑order batsman Jordan Cox (59 not out) forged a 128‑run stand that guided England to an eight‑wicket win.
The partnership capped a season that has been anything but smooth, featuring a change of head coach, a new captaincy, and a host of off‑field distractions that dominated headlines. Root praised the squad’s professionalism, work ethic and resilience, noting that the side’s ability to stay focused amid external noise was a key factor in clinching the series.
"I think we're in a better place than we were, definitely," he said. "Going through such a chaotic summer, you learn a lot about the group of players you have.
The way we approached our cricket has been really pleasing, and we want that to continue." He added that emerging from a period of uncertainty has given the team much‑needed clarity. "We’ve been through a lot in the last few months, and to now have that clarity and come out the other side of the chaos is hugely important. You can only deal with what's in front of you, and how we responded was the most important thing. The group have done that brilliantly." Reflecting on the third Test, which turned into a challenging encounter after Pakistan’s youngster Razaullah produced a brilliant 81 off 63 balls on day three, Root acknowledged that the opposition’s resurgence would ultimately benefit England.
"The fact that we’ve been able to start that journey and win a series in the manner we have is really pleasing," he said. "We had a little pushback from Pakistan, which, oddly enough, was a good thing for the group." Root praised Razaullah’s effort, noting the difficulty he caused with his aggressive stroke‑play. "Fair play to Razaullah, he made things difficult for us.
He hit some wonderful shots and made field placements a nightmare. I don’t know how he didn’t pull a muscle swinging the bat that hard," Root laughed. "But we came through and finished the series convincingly across all three games, which is exactly what we wanted heading into the winter." One lingering concern after the series is the lack of centuries from either side.
Despite 17 half‑centuries across three Tests, neither England nor Pakistan managed a single hundred – the first time a three‑match Test series in England has ended without a ton since the 1888 Ashes. Root, however, dismissed worries about the team’s ability to convert starts into big scores.
He pointed out that the conditions throughout the summer have been challenging for all batters, not just the English side. "Everyone would love to make a century after getting set, but the nature of this summer and the surfaces we’ve played on have made big scores rare across the board," he explained. "What’s pleasing is that after the first innings, we saw contributions from the whole team, especially from the partnership of Root and Cox at the end – that’s a step in the right direction." Root emphasised that reliance on a few individuals would be more concerning than the current spread of contributions. "It would be worrying if we depended on one or two players to consistently score hundreds.
The fact that everyone is chipping in shows the depth and quality of this group." Looking ahead, Root acknowledged that the team will face new challenges on South African pitches, which are known for their bounce and pace. "We’ll have different surfaces and conditions in the winter, but the goal is to keep making strides as a unit. Those big contributions from the group are essential, and we’ve already shown we can post 400‑plus totals even in tough conditions," he said. Root’s optimism is underpinned by the belief that the lessons learned from a chaotic summer – from leadership changes to handling media scrutiny – have forged a stronger, more adaptable side.
As England prepares for the South African tour, the emphasis will be on maintaining the momentum built during the Pakistan series, fine‑tuning strategies for varied conditions, and ensuring that the collective effort continues to outweigh any individual shortcomings. Fans can follow every England match this summer on Sky Sports, including the upcoming white‑ball series against Sri Lanka, which kicks off with the first T20I on Tuesday. Those without a Sky subscription can explore the latest Sky Sports deals or stream matches contract‑free via NOW.