Joe Root leads England against Pakistan at Headingley Test
BBC Sport • 1 min read • Latest: Aug 17, 2026, 2:38 PM
Last updated Aug 17, 2026

Joe Root captains England for the 66th time as the team faces Pakistan at Headingley. This marks Root's second permanent spell after taking over from Ben Stokes, who resigned earlier this summer. Historically, Root has led England with significant success but is currently navigating a challenging period, with only one win in his last 17 Tests. The match will provide insight into how his leadership style evolves after the more aggressive play under Stokes and Brendon McCullum.
- •Root captained his first Test in 2017, scoring 190 against South Africa.
- •Root has historically won more matches as England captain than anyone else.
- •England's run rate under Root averages 3.16 in 65 Tests.
- •England's performance against top teams has declined under Root's captaincy.
- •Root aims to carry lessons from the previous four years into this role.
- 2:38 PMBBC Sport — What England can expect from captain Root
"What can England expect from Joe Root's leadership, based on his first full-time spell in charge?
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