Joe Root has taken over as England's Test captain again, returning to the role ahead of the three-match series against Pakistan starting at Headingley. The change comes amid considerable upheaval, with England having sacked Brendon McCullum as Test coach, his replacement Stephen Fleming not yet in post, and Marcus Trescothick serving as interim coach — mirroring the uncertainty Root faced at the end of his first spell as captain in 2022.

Root previously led England for five years before stepping down after a difficult run, but his overall record of 26 wins from his first 47 Tests (a 55% success rate) compares favourably with predecessors including Ben Stokes (54%), Michael Vaughan (51%) and Mike Brearley (58%). Now 35 and the most experienced player in the side, Root inherits a younger, less battle-tested England team than the one Stokes built, and faces the challenge of restoring stability while writing a fresh chapter in his captaincy story.