England closed a turbulent summer of Test cricket with a clean‑sweep of Pakistan, winning the three‑match series 3‑0. That triumph not only caps a chaotic six‑month stretch but also ushers in a demanding twelve‑month itinerary that features a tough tour of South Africa and the 2027 Ashes series.
The last two months have been a whirlwind for English cricket. The board installed a fresh Test captain, Joe Root, and appointed former New Zealand great Stephen Fleming as head coach. At the same time, off‑field drama unfolded: several alcohol‑related incidents made headlines and former captain Ben Stokes announced his retirement from the longest format.
The dominant series win may have restored some confidence in a side that had dropped seven of its previous ten Tests, yet a host of questions about personnel and leadership linger. Below, Sky Sports analysts break down the most pressing dilemmas confronting Root and Fleming as they look ahead. **Finding the final slot in a settled batting order** One of the biggest puzzles for the selectors is deciding who will occupy the last vacancy in an otherwise settled top‑order.
So far, opener Emilio Gay, all‑rounder Dan Lawrence and wicket‑keepers Jordan Cox and Jamie Smith have all featured in at least three of the six Tests this summer. Inevitably, one of these four will have to step aside to make room for the highly‑rated Jacob Bethell, who has primarily batted at number three for England in limited‑overs cricket.
Bethell is being touted as a potential opener, possibly replacing Gay, who has struggled despite reaching three half‑centuries in six Tests. Cox, meanwhile, has impressed both with the bat and behind the stumps after stepping in for the injured Smith, scoring a fifty in each of the three Tests against Pakistan. "I would probably bring Bethell straight back in at three," former England captain Nasser Hussain said on the Sky Sports Cricket podcast. "You can't produce that hundred at Sydney the way he did and not have a Test match future." He added that Cox looks vulnerable, as does Gay, but he remains a traditionalist: "I'm old school and think that opener is a specialist position." Hussain also highlighted two key areas England needs to address: a frontline spinner and a reliable opener.
"Gay has made a decent start, he looks like he could have a future but we're not certain. I would stick with him. The other option is you give Cox the gloves and axe Jamie Smith, but I also wouldn't do that.
He's also done well with the gloves and got some runs." **Cox’s rising profile** Former fast bowler Stuart Broad lavished praise on Jordan Cox after his composed 59‑not‑out that helped England clinch the third Test. Broad said, "I think Cox has done enough in this series to deserve a spot in the team. He's been composed, assured, calm, provided a match‑winning innings today in a situation that was very difficult as a No 3 with England losing two wickets in the first over." Broad pointed out the selector’s dilemma: "How do you get Cox in the team when Bethell is back?" He also noted Cox’s leadership qualities, something England has seemed to lack on the field this summer.
"One thing about this England team we've seen all summer is they lack a bit of leadership out on the field. I think Cox adds that.
I would have him in my XI come Pretoria in December." **The seam attack’s strengths and concerns** England’s four‑man pace brigade – Jofra Archer, Ollie Robinson, Gus Atkinson and Josh Tongue – dismantled Pakistan’s batting line‑up for most of the series, holding them under 200 in each of the first five innings. Their dominance drew comparisons to the celebrated 2005 Ashes attack, prompting interim head coach Marcus Trescothick to call it "fair" after the second Test. However, Pakistan recovered on a placid Edgbaston pitch in the sixth innings, posting 449 runs and exposing doubts about whether England’s bowlers had benefited from unusually helpful conditions.
Robinson, who claimed a staggering 21 wickets at an average of 8.76, faced criticism from Hussain, who warned that his relatively low pace could become a liability on batting‑friendly surfaces. "As we saw late yesterday – on England's one bad day – Robinson regressed to the mean, like the rest of the attack.
His speeds were down and he was easier to play. He is what he is: he's a highly‑skilled bowler, but if you keep him out there long enough, 78 mph becomes 74 mph – and that's a lot easier to face, even if it is nipping around a lot." Despite the concerns, Hussain acknowledged the statistics: "You cannot argue though with his stats this summer.
He's been absolutely fantastic with new‑ball wickets up front. He sets the tone and wobbles it around – he's very difficult to play." **Preparing for South Africa and the Ashes** Fleming, Root and the coaching staff now need to ensure Robinson stays fit and effective for the upcoming challenges. Broad echoed the sentiment, noting that Robinson’s performance on a flatter pitch was less convincing. "Joe Root didn't trust him with the second new ball for more than two overs.
But if he gets conditions where it nips around against this quality of batting unit, he's going to be highly effective," Broad said. "So I don't think we've learned a huge amount about Ollie Robinson. He's very good when conditions suit, but I expect the pitches to be different next summer." Broad also warned against over‑reliance on low‑pace bowlers and wicket‑keepers standing up to the stumps: "What I don't want to see is this trend of the keeper standing up to the stumps and the 75 mph bowlers lobbing it up on a length continuing.
At that level, you can have 25, 30 bowlers from county cricket that can do that job. On a normal Test match pitch, only five or six players can do that." He concluded that while Robinson has thrived in a summer that suited his style, the real test will come on varied pitches abroad. "Robinson has been given the ball in a summer that suited him, but there is no doubt that he delivered in an absolutely top‑class way." **Looking ahead** England now faces a crucial period of selection and strategy. The board must balance the desire to reward in‑form players like Cox and Robinson with the need to integrate promising talents such as Bethell and a quality spinner.
Leadership on the field remains a concern, and the coaching team will be tasked with fostering a cohesive unit capable of adapting to diverse conditions in South Africa and, later, the high‑stakes Ashes contests. As the international summer draws to a close, fans can continue to follow every England match on Sky Sports, including the upcoming white‑ball series against Sri Lanka. For those without a Sky subscription, alternative streaming options are available through NOW or the latest Sky Sports deals.