Joe Root believes that England have emerged stronger after navigating a turbulent summer, and that the side is "well placed" as they head into the forthcoming winter tour of South Africa. The confidence comes after the captain guided his team to a historic whitewash of Pakistan on home soil, a series win that marked England's first ever 3-0 triumph over the Asian side in England. In the decisive third Test at Edgbaston, Root (62 not out) and lower‑order batsman Jordan Cox (59 not out) forged a 128‑run partnership that steered England to an eight‑wicket victory.
The win capped a summer that has been anything but calm, featuring a change of head coach, a new captaincy, and a raft of off‑field headlines that threatened to distract the squad. Root praised the professionalism and work ethic of his teammates, highlighting how they managed to stay focused despite the external noise. "I think we're in a better place than we were, definitely," he said. "Just having gone through a tumultuous summer, you learn a lot in chaos.
You discover what kind of players you have, and the way we have approached our cricket has been very pleasing. We want that to continue." He added that emerging from a period of uncertainty has given the group clarity. "Everything that has happened over the last few weeks – the coaching change, the captaincy shift, the media scrutiny – we have come out the other side with a clear sense of purpose. That is an important part of our progress." Root emphasized the need to focus on the immediate task at hand.
"You can only deal with what's in front of you," he remarked. "When everything unfolded the way it did, the crucial factor was how we responded, and the group has done that brilliantly." Reflecting on the third Test, which turned into a challenging encounter after Pakistan youngster Razaullah produced a dazzling 81 off 63 balls on day three, Root acknowledged that the opposition’s resurgence would ultimately benefit England. "The fact that we have been able to start this journey and win a series in the manner we have is very pleasing," he said. "We had things go our way for most of the series, but the pushback from Pakistan yesterday was, in a strange way, good for the group." Root praised Razaullah’s effort, noting the difficulty of setting fields against such aggressive batting.
"Fair play to Razaullah – he made things difficult for us. He struck the ball beautifully and swung with such power that it was surprising he didn’t pull a muscle," the captain laughed. "But we responded, and we were convincing in the way we finished the series." He highlighted the importance of the final partnership that saw England home. "We were clinical at the back end, a big partnership to see us home.
That is exactly the sort of thing we want and it puts us in a nice place going into the winter," Root concluded. Statistically, the series raised concerns about England’s ability to convert starts into centuries.
Neither side managed a single hundred, despite a combined total of 17 half‑centuries across the three Tests – the first time a three‑match Test series in England has finished without a ton since the 1888 Ashes. Root, however, downplayed the worry, pointing out that the batting conditions were challenging for both teams.
"Everyone would love to make a century after getting set, but the nature of the summer and the surfaces we played on made it difficult for everyone, not just us," he explained. He argued that the spread of contributions was a positive sign. "It would be more concerning if we relied on one or two players to score centuries consistently.
The fact that everyone is contributing shows that the group has the depth to perform at this level," Root said. He also noted that England posted two scores of 400-plus in those conditions, underscoring their ability to build large totals when required. Looking ahead, Root anticipates different challenges in South Africa, where pitches tend to be faster and bouncier.
"We will face new surfaces and different conditions in the winter, but the aim is to keep taking strides forward as a unit. If we can keep making those big contributions together, we will be in a strong position," he affirmed.
Beyond the Test arena, England fans can continue to follow the national side throughout the summer on Sky Sports, which will broadcast the upcoming white‑ball series against Sri Lanka, beginning with the first T20 International on Tuesday. Those without a Sky subscription can explore the latest Sky Sports deals or stream matches contract‑free via NOW.