England recently appointed Joe Root as their new Test captain, with Stephen Fleming taking charge as the red-ball head coach. Former England captain Sir Alastair Cook backed Root's return, saying the experienced batter has a strong chance to guide England and win a home Ashes series.
Ben Stokes retired from international cricket and Brendon McCullum stepped down as England's Test head coach. England also endured disappointing series defeats to New Zealand. They are at seventh in the World Test Championship (WTC) standings and will face Pakistan in their next series from August 19.
Alastair Cook Backs Joe Root to End England's Home Ashes Drought
Sir Alastair Cook believes Joe Root has the perfect opportunity to lead England to a home Ashes series victory after returning as Test captain. Cook said Root is in a much better place than during his first spell in charge and can use his experience to guide the team through the next year.
"I think if you go back to Joe Root as a captain, he had some really tough cards to deal with in his first ever go, in his first stint of sixty-odd games. Covid, he had the Ben Stokes nightclub incident. He had that push towards white-ball cricket and the 2019 World Cup. Those were three major things that defined his stint," Alastair Cook told BBC.
Many expected white-ball captain Harry Brook to take over the Test side. However, England backed the experienced Root to lead the team through an important transition. Root's next assignment is the three-Test home series against Pakistan, starting on August 19.
"He Looked Like He Was Done"- Alastair Cook on Joe Root
Alastair Cook added that Joe Root looked mentally exhausted by the end of his first captaincy spell. He believes the chance to win the Ashes at home gives Root extra motivation.
"At the end, he looked shot. He looked like he was done. But he's regrouped, he's seen Ben Stokes do it, and he still looks fresh as a daisy. I don't think it's a really long-term thing. I just think it's a good 12 months where he'll take the side forward with the carrot of trying to win the Ashes here in England."
Root also captained England during the second Test against New Zealand in June 2026 when Stokes was unavailable. Although England lost that match, the selectors remained confident in Root's leadership and handed him the role on a full-time basis.
Joe Root and Stephen Fleming Begin England's New Test Era
Joe Root remains England's most experienced Test captain, having led the team in 65 matches between 2017 and 2022. During that period, England recorded 27 wins, 27 losses, and 11 draws. Root holds the national record for both the most victories and the most defeats as Test captain.
Despite England's mixed results, Root enjoyed remarkable success with the bat during his captaincy. He scored 5,418 runs in 65 Tests, including 14 centuries and 27 half-centuries, the most runs by any England Test captain.
Stephen Fleming will join the setup after his successful coaching career with Chennai Super Kings. Root and Fleming will begin their partnership to improve England's position in the World Test Championship standings.
