Joe Root believes that the upheavals England endured this summer have taught the team important lessons and left them "well placed" as they head into the winter tour of South Africa. The confidence comes after Root captained a side that achieved its first ever home whitewash of Pakistan, a milestone that underlines the progress made despite a season marked by a change of head coach, a new captain and a raft of off‑field distractions.
In the third Test at Edgbaston, Root (62 not out) and No 3 batsman Jordan Cox (59 not out) forged a 128‑run partnership that steered England to an eight‑wicket victory. The win capped a three‑match series that ended on a positive note, offering a stark contrast to the chaos that preceded it. After the match, the captain praised the squad’s professionalism, work ethic and ability to stay focused amid external noise, saying the series win was a testament to their collective resolve.
"I think we're in a better place than we were, definitely," Root told reporters. "Having gone through such a tumultuous summer, you learn a lot in chaos.
You discover the true character of the group you have, and the way we have approached our cricket has been very pleasing. We want that momentum to continue." He added that emerging from the recent turmoil with clarity was crucial.
"We’ve been through a lot over the last few months, and to now have that clarity and come out the other side of chaos is a very important part of our development. You can only deal with what’s in front of you, and how we responded to the challenges was the most important factor.
The group handled it brilliantly." Root reflected on the third Test, which turned into a demanding encounter after Pakistan’s youngster Razaullah produced a heroic 81 off 63 balls on day three, setting a target that tested England’s resolve. Despite the pressure, Root felt the Pakistani resurgence would ultimately benefit his side. "It’s been a pleasure to start this journey and win the series the way we have," he said. "We’ve had things go our way throughout, but the pushback from Pakistan yesterday was, in a strange way, good for the group.
It gave us a chance to show how we react under pressure." He complimented Razaullah’s aggressive stroke‑play, noting how difficult it was to set fields against such a display. "He hit some wonderful shots and made it very hard to position the field. I don’t know how he didn’t pull a muscle swinging the bat that hard," Root laughed. Nevertheless, England’s response was decisive.
"We came through that phase and finished the series convincingly across all three games," he continued. "The big partnership at the end was exactly what we needed and puts us in a nice spot heading into the winter series." Statistically, the series raised questions about England’s ability to convert starts into centuries. Both sides failed to register a single hundred despite accumulating 17 half‑centuries across three Tests – the first time a three‑match series in England has ended without a ton since the 1888 Ashes. Root, however, brushed aside concerns, emphasizing the challenging batting conditions that characterised the summer.
"Everyone would love to score a century after getting set, but the nature of this summer and the surfaces we’ve played on have made big scores difficult for everyone, not just us," he explained. "What’s pleasing is that from 2‑2 after the first over of the second innings, we saw a partnership like the one between Jordan and me bring us home. It shows we’re moving in the right direction." He warned against over‑reliance on a few individuals.
"It would be more worrying if only one or two players were consistently making hundreds. The fact that contributions are spread around shows the depth and quality of this group." Looking ahead, Root acknowledged that winter tours will present new challenges, including different pitches and climatic conditions. "We’ll face different surfaces in South Africa, but the goal is to keep making strides as a unit.
Big contributions from several players will be key, and we’ve already shown we can post 400‑plus totals even in tough conditions," he said. Beyond the Test arena, England’s summer schedule also includes white‑ball fixtures against Sri Lanka, with the first T20 International set to kick off on Tuesday. Fans can watch every England match live on Sky Sports, and those without a subscription have the option to explore Sky’s latest deals or stream contract‑free via NOW. The team’s ability to adapt, learn from adversity, and maintain a collective focus will be crucial as they transition from the chaotic English summer to the demanding South African winter tour.