Joe Root has been reappointed captain of the England Test team, acknowledging that public perception of his previous tenure will be a challenge. He holds the record for most Test matches captained for England, with 65, achieving 27 victories and 27 defeats.
Root's first period as captain was significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, embarking on his second stint, he will be without the crucial all-rounder Ben Stokes, a handicap not experienced by an England captain since the early days of Alastair Cook.
England's recent performance has been poor, with only two wins in their last ten Tests and no series victories since the end of 2024. The situation is not as dire as when Stokes initially replaced Root four years prior, when England had won just one of seventeen matches, a period that coincided with the introduction of "Bazball."
Root has positioned himself as a steadying influence, emphasizing his experience and lessons learned. However, a recent interim captaincy spell against New Zealand at the Oval raised concerns. During that match, Root's tactical decisions, such as persisting with short-pitched bowling against a set batsman, allowed New Zealand to score rapidly and construct a match-winning total. This recalled a similar situation in 2021 against India, where tailenders Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah were allowed to significantly boost their team's score.
These instances suggest that despite Root's claims of growth, his captaincy approach may not have fundamentally changed. Nevertheless, the England team is in a position where options are limited. Test vice-captain Harry Brook was deemed ineligible after an incident with a nightclub bouncer. Root has emerged as a more stable figure amidst the recent turmoil.
Root, in collaboration with incoming head coach Stephen Fleming, intends to treat players with more autonomy, a shift from the stricter measures, such as a midnight curfew, implemented after the Ashes. This approach may be easier to implement in Stokes's absence.
Root's batting average as captain was 46, but increases to 53 when he is not leading the team. Since his initial captaincy, his batting average has been 54, with 16 of his 30 scores of 50 or more converted into centuries. At 35 years old, there is an argument that his remaining playing years might be better spent focusing on his individual run-scoring, with the aim of surpassing Sachin Tendulkar's Test record of 15,921 runs, as he currently has 14,114.
Despite the challenges, Root's calm demeanor is seen as a positive for a team often associated with the high-intensity "Bazball" approach. His willingness to take on the captaincy again is being met with gratitude, and a successful series against Pakistan could help to shift public opinion.
