Joe Root stated that the current England cricket team is "very different" from the squad that Kevin Pietersen was sacked from in 2014, following Pietersen's appointment to the white-ball coaching staff. Pietersen is set to join the staff for the upcoming white-ball series against Sri Lanka.

Root, who made his England debut in 2012, recalled Pietersen's mentorship during his early career. "He was always someone who gave me a huge amount, to be honest," Root said. "He didn't need to offer as much as he did to me, but he would sit there and work tirelessly, making sure I felt comfortable with my own game. He listened to all my questions and helped as much as he could. As a senior player, he was outstanding."

With Pietersen's extensive experience, Root expressed confidence in his potential contribution to the team environment. "When you get someone involved you want them to be themselves and you want them to come into an environment for a reason. With his experience and knowledge about the game, and all that he can offer, I think he's going to be great."

Pietersen, who has scored 13,779 international runs for England, joins a team that Root believes has evolved significantly. "The world is a very different place to what it was in 2014, and the England team is in a very different place to that as well," Root commented.

Root is set to lead England in the third and final Test against Pakistan, aiming for a 3-0 series clean sweep. He declined to confirm the team's XI ahead of the toss, though the side is expected to remain unchanged.

The captain also addressed the ongoing debate surrounding ticket prices for next summer's Ashes series, particularly noting the increase in prices for the Hollies Stand at Edgbaston. "From a playing point of view and as a captain, you want the grounds to be full, and you want them to be full of every demographic of person," Root said. "You want the game to feel like it is for everyone, that they can come to support you and enjoy that. It would be great to see this place full and thriving, and for everyone to have the opportunity to come to watch Test cricket."

Root also defended the work of his predecessor Ben Stokes and former coach Brendon McCullum, crediting them for the team's improved mentality and performance. "We wouldn't have been able to play these last two games without all of the work those two did," he said. "I think it's undervalued the impact what those two guys had on English cricket."