Joe Root has returned to the England Test captaincy for the first Test against Pakistan in Leeds, and his first message was clear: this is not a moment to rip everything up. With Ben Stokes absent after his retirement from international cricket and Brendon McCullum no longer in the red-ball role, Root says England must keep the core of what has worked while making small but important adjustments.
The three-match series begins in a different mood for both teams. England have not yet named their XI for the first Test, while Pakistan arrive without Babar Azam after he hurt his right hand in last week’s warm-up fixture at Beckenham. Pakistan are also still waiting to end a run without a Test series win away from home since 2023, which only adds to the pressure on the visitors in Headingley.
Root: keep the good stuff, change the details
Root said the absence of a player who had been “ever-present for the best part of 15 years” was a major change, but he does not see that as a reason for an overhaul. “I don’t think there’s a huge amount that we need to change,” he said. “It’s small things that will make a big difference. It’s not about ripping it up.”
That is the most telling line of Root’s first build-up as captain again. England’s recent Test identity, shaped by Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum, is not being abandoned. Instead, Root wants the same positive intent, but with more awareness of match situations and the different tempos that unfold across five days.
“I don’t believe there is a style, one way of playing Test cricket,” Root added. “You’ve got to be adaptable and you’ve got to play the situation.”
England’s selection picture is still open
England are keeping their cards close to their chest on the XI, but they did at least have some encouraging signs in training. Josh Tongue and Gus Atkinson were both in the Manchester Super Giants side that triumphed on Sunday, and both were present at training on Tuesday.
Dan Lawrence has also been singled out by Root, who described him as “an exceptional player for Surrey throughout the whole season.” Root added: “His numbers are amazing,” and said Lawrence “has played some brilliant innings and is in great form and I think he’s a very underrated bowler.”
Those comments matter because they point to a squad still being shaped around conditions, form and role rather than status alone. With the first Test at Headingley, England may prefer balance and flexibility over a fixed plan.
Pakistan arrive with questions of their own
Pakistan’s leadership picture is also part of the story, with Salman Ali Agha in charge for the first Test. Root was asked whether England’s experience and the changes around Pakistan’s camp alter the way he views the series, but his answer was to keep the focus firmly on the present.
“One thing I think is really important for all of us is we don’t get too stuck in the last six months and we don’t get too caught up in the next six months,” he said. “We’ve got a unique series that we find ourselves in, and we’ve got to be very present throughout the whole of it.”
That is exactly the tone England will need. Root is not trying to reinvent the side he has inherited back, but he is clearly determined to keep it alert, adaptable and honest to the demands of the moment. In a series that begins with a leadership change and an important absence for Pakistan, that may be the most sensible starting point of all.
