Joe Root Set to Return as England Test Captain

Joe Root is set to return as England's Test captain, with his second spell in charge likely to continue through next summer's home Ashes series against Australia, The Athletic reported on Friday. England's search for a new Test captain following Ben Stokes' retirement from international cricket now appears set to end with Root returning to the role. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is expected to announce Root as captain for the three-Test series against Pakistan, starting on August 19, with the appointment likely to extend into next year's Ashes, The Athletic report said. The move would allow Harry Brook, Stokes' deputy in Tests, to continue as England's white-ball captain ahead of next year's 50-over World Cup, and continue working with the T20 and one-day international coach, Brendon McCullum. England are still searching for a new Test coach after parting ways with McCullum in the red-ball format. As per The Athletic report, assistant coach Marcus Trescothick is increasingly expected to take charge on an interim basis for the Pakistan series. The ECB has faced a difficult month after the end of England's first Test assignment of the summer against New Zealand, which left the team looking for both a new captain and a new Test coach. Stokes announced his retirement during the third Test of the series, which England lost 2-1. Soon after, the ECB also decided to replace McCullum after four years as Test coach. Root had already stepped in as captain for the second Test against New Zealand after Stokes was suspended following the late-night drinking session in Chelsea after the first Test, an incident that led to further problems for English cricket. That experience appears to have convinced the ECB that Root remains its best option for the role. The only uncertainty was whether Root, England's highest Test run-scorer, wanted to return to captaincy after saying he was done with the job when his first spell ended in 2022. He had stepped down after England managed only one win in 17 Tests. Now Root, who is currently playing for Welsh Fire in The Hundred, is set to lead England again, beginning with the Pakistan series, as the team looks to recover from a difficult year. England started 2026 with a 4-1 Ashes defeat in Australia and then suffered its first major home series loss since 2012 against New Zealand.