Joe Root reflected that England have emerged stronger after a season marked by upheaval, and he believes the side is "well placed" as they head into the forthcoming winter tour of South Africa. The comments came after he captained his team to a historic whitewash of Pakistan on home soil, a feat the nation had never achieved before. In the third Test at Edgbaston, Root (62 not out) and middle‑order batsman Jordan Cox (59 not out) forged a 128‑run partnership that propelled England to an eight‑wicket victory.
The win capped a summer that had been anything but smooth, featuring a change of head coach, a new captain, and a slew of off‑field distractions that dominated headlines. Root praised the squad’s professionalism, work ethic, and resilience in the face of external noise, noting that the team’s composure was key to securing a comprehensive series triumph. "I think we're in a better place than we were, definitely," Root said.
"Having gone through such a tumultuous summer, you learn a lot when you’re in chaos. It teaches you about the group of players you have, and the way we have approached our cricket this series has been very pleasing. We want that momentum to continue." He continued, "All the challenges we faced over the last few months have given us clarity. Coming out of that chaos and finding a clear path forward is a crucial part of our development.
You can only deal with what’s in front of you, and once everything unfolded the way it did, our response was what mattered most. The group has handled that brilliantly." Root also reflected on the third Test, which turned into a tense encounter after Pakistan’s youngster Razaullah produced a heroic 81 off 63 balls on day three, setting England a target to chase. The English captain acknowledged that Pakistan’s resurgence would ultimately benefit England in the long run.
"It’s encouraging that we have started this journey and won the series in the manner we have," Root said. "Things have largely gone our way, but the pushback from Pakistan yesterday was, oddly enough, a good thing for the group. It tested us and gave us a chance to prove our mettle." He added praise for Razaullah, "Fair play to Razaullah – he made things difficult for us.
He played wonderful shots and forced us to think hard about field placements. He struck the ball beautifully; I’m amazed he didn’t pull a muscle swinging that hard." Root emphasized how satisfying it was for England to finish the series convincingly, "We were clinical at the back end, and that big partnership saw us home.
It’s exactly the kind of performance we want and puts us in a comfortable position heading into the winter months." Despite the series win, some observers expressed concern over England’s lack of centuries. Both teams failed to register a hundred, even though they combined for 17 half‑centuries across the three matches – the first time a three‑Test series in England has concluded without a ton since the 1888 Ashes. Root brushed aside worries about the side’s ability to convert starts into big scores, highlighting the challenging batting conditions throughout the summer. "Everyone wants to get a century after getting set, but the nature of this summer and the surfaces we’ve played on have made it difficult for everyone, not just us," he explained.
"What’s pleasing is that after the early wickets fell, we saw players like Jordan and myself step up. It shows progress in the right direction." He added, "It would be more concerning if we relied on one or two players to score centuries consistently. The fact that contributions are coming from across the batting order shows depth and the ability to perform at this level." Looking ahead, Root acknowledged that the winter tour will bring new challenges, including different pitches and conditions, but he is confident the team can continue to make strides together.
"We’ll face different surfaces and conditions in the winter, but if we keep progressing as a unit and continue to make big contributions, we’ll be in a strong position," he said. "We already posted 400-plus totals twice in these tough conditions, which is encouraging." Beyond the Test series, England fans can tune in to every international 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.