England captain Joe Root has downplayed concerns over a lean run of Test batting form, insisting his 14,000-plus career runs prove he will find a way through. The 35-year-old, England's all-time leading Test scorer, has passed fifty only twice this summer and has been dismissed lbw nine times in his last seven Tests, but he attributed this largely to difficult batting conditions and marginal umpiring calls rather than a genuine technical flaw.

Root's home-season average of 29.44 is his second-lowest in 14 years of international cricket, with his recent lbw dismissals coming almost exclusively against right-arm seamers nipping the ball back from outside off stump. He also suggested changes to Dukes balls may be making conditions tougher, a claim the manufacturer denied. Despite his personal struggles, England beat Pakistan by 194 runs at Lord's to seal their first series win since 2024, with former captain Michael Vaughan backing Root to overcome his current dip in form.