Root Reappointed England Test Captain After Stokes Exit
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- Joe Root has been reappointed as England Test cricket captain following Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum's departures, with Michael Atherton describing it as a "unique opportunity" to make the team "Root's team again, not Stokes' team"
- Root's previous captaincy saw him win and lose more matches than any other England skipper while averaging 46 with the bat; he stepped down citing an "unhealthy relationship" with the role, partly blaming the COVID-era demands
- Root and new Test coach Stephen Fleming have scrapped team curfews, with Atherton declaring curfews "a crazy way to run a grown-up, professional sporting team" and praising the move to treat players as adults
- Jacob Bethell will miss the upcoming Pakistan series as Ollie Pope returns to the squad, per the same Atherton interview
- England's three-Test series against Pakistan begins August 19 at Headingley, with the second Test at Lord's from August 27 and the third at Edgbaston from September 9, all broadcast on Sky Sports Cricket
Why it matters: Root's reappointment ends an era: he plans to "keep certain things of Bazball" but also "tweak" them, with the immediate curfew scrap and the appointment of Stephen Fleming already signaling a tonal reset before a ball is bowled against Pakistan. Root's 46 batting average as captain directly undercuts the narrative that the dual role damaged his game during his first stint.
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