Joe Root reflected that England have emerged stronger after navigating a season of upheaval, and he believes the side is "well placed" as they head into the winter tour of South Africa. The comments came after Root captained his team to a historic whitewash of Pakistan on home soil, a series that ended with a dominant eight‑wicket victory in the third Test at Edgbaston. In that decisive match, Root (62 not out) and middle‑order batsman Jordan Cox (59 not out) forged a 128‑run partnership that steered England past the target with ease.
The win capped a summer that was anything but smooth, featuring a change of head coach, a new captain, and a parade of off‑field distractions that dominated headlines. Root praised the squad’s professionalism, work ethic and resilience, noting that the team’s ability to stay focused despite the surrounding noise was key to securing the series.
"I think we're in a better place than we were, definitely," he said. "Going through such a chaotic summer teaches you a lot about the group you have.
The way we have approached our cricket has been very pleasing, and we want to build on that now." He added that emerging from a period of uncertainty gave the side much‑needed clarity. "We’ve been through a lot in the last few months, and to now have that clarity after the chaos is an important part of our progress. You can only deal with what's in front of you, and the way we responded to the challenges was the most important thing.
The group have done that brilliantly," Root explained. The third Test proved particularly testing when Pakistan’s young bowler Razaullah produced a rapid 81 off 63 balls on day three, setting England a target that required composure.
Root acknowledged the youngster’s impact, saying, "Fair play to Razaullah – he made things difficult for us. He hit some wonderful shots and it was hard to set fields.
It’s impressive how he managed such power without injury." Nevertheless, England recovered and finished the match with a convincing partnership that sealed the series. "We were clinical at the end, and that big partnership took us home.
It’s exactly the kind of performance we want and it puts us in a good position heading into the winter," Root said. One lingering concern after the series was the lack of centuries; both England and Pakistan failed to reach a hundred despite compiling 17 half‑centuries across three Tests. This marked the first three‑match Test series in England without a hundred since the 1888 Ashes.
Root dismissed worries about the side’s ability to convert starts into big scores, pointing out the challenging batting conditions throughout the summer. "Everyone would love to score a century, but the nature of the summer and the surfaces we’ve played on made it tough for everyone, not just us. The pleasing thing is that we saw contributions from many players, which is a step forward," he noted. He emphasized that reliance on a few individuals would be more concerning than a collective effort.
Root also highlighted the significance of scoring 400 runs twice in difficult conditions, underscoring the depth of the batting line‑up. "It would be worrying if we depended on one or two players to make big scores consistently. The fact that many are contributing shows we have the quality to perform at this level," he said. Looking ahead, Root acknowledged that the winter tour of South Africa will present new challenges, including different pitches and weather.
He expressed confidence that the team can continue to make strides together, adding, "We’ll face different surfaces, but if we keep moving forward as a group and continue to make big contributions, we’ll be in a strong position." Beyond the Test arena, England fans can follow every match of the international summer on Sky Sports, including the upcoming white‑ball series against Sri Lanka, which begins with a T20I on Tuesday. Those without a Sky subscription can explore the latest Sky Sports deals or stream matches contract‑free via NOW.
Overall, Root’s message was clear: despite a turbulent season marked by leadership changes and off‑field drama, England have learned valuable lessons, built resilience, and positioned themselves well for the upcoming challenges in South Africa, with a balanced batting unit and a renewed sense of purpose guiding their path forward.