Joe Root reappointed as England Test captain for Pakistan

English cricket is poised to turn to a familiar face as Joe Root is expected to be reappointed Test captain for the upcoming series against Pakistan and potentially through next summer’s Ashes. The move follows a period of instability triggered by Ben Stokes’s sudden retirement from international cricket and the dismissal of head coach Brendon McCullum.

Stokes announced his retirement during last month’s home Test series against New Zealand, which England lost 2-1. In the aftermath, the England and Wales Cricket Board parted ways with McCullum as red-ball coach, leaving the Test side without a captain or a permanent head coach ahead of the three-match series against Pakistan, which begins on August 19.

While a formal announcement from the ECB is anticipated soon, reports indicate Root is the clear frontrunner. His appointment is seen as a strategic decision that would allow white-ball captain Harry Brook, initially considered a leading candidate to succeed Stokes, to focus solely on leading the limited-overs teams. This is particularly important with the 2027 50-over World Cup in southern Africa on the horizon.

Root previously captained England from 2017 to 2022, leading the side...