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England National Cricket Team is set to reappoint Joe Root as the England Test captain after Ben Stokes announced his retirement earlier in June. Stokes said goodbye to international cricket at the end of the New Zealand series.
Joe Root is set to be reappointed as captain till the next summer’s home series against Australia, as per a report in The Athletic. The veteran batter captained the side recently in the absence of Ben Stokes in the second Test between the England National Cricket Team and the New Zealand National Cricket Team at the Oval, London, and the Three Lions lost the match.
Joe Root to lead England in Ashes 2027
Joe Root was appointed as the interim captain for the Three Lions after Ben Stokes was suspended from the second Test match because he broke the team’s curfew and was involved in a nightclub row alongside Gus Atkinson. Root led England in that Test match, but the Three Lions suffered a hefty loss by 253 runs.
Ben Stokes returned alongside Gus Atkinson, who was also involved in the fight and was suspended for the same game. In the third Test match, when the two returned, Stokes announced his retirement, and it was believed that the team’s vice-captain and white-ball captain Harry Brook would take over the charge, but in a shocking development, it is Root who is leading the race.
Joe Root's record as England Test captain
As per the reports from The Athletic, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is set to announce the name of Joe Root as the next Test captain ahead of the three-Test series against Pakistan that begins on August 19. He is also set to lead the side beyond that, most likely taking in next year’s Ashes.
Root has the experience of captaining the side in the traditional format of the game. He captained the team between February 2017 and April 2022, before Stokes took over. The experienced campaigner led the side in 65 Test matches, winning 27 and losing as many.
Root has both records of winning the most matches as England Test captain and also losing the most matches. This showcases his attacking captaincy mindset in the longest format of the game, as he has been one of the finest captains for the side, especially in the Test format. The 35-year-old will look to win more Test matches and also the Ashes at home.
Joe Root's batting career
The veteran batter remains the side’s highest run-getter in this format and is nearing the long-held record of Sachin Tendulkar for the most runs. Tendulkar finished his career with 15,921 runs in 200 matches and scored 51 centuries.
Root has 14,114* runs; he is just 1,808 runs behind to surpass the great Test batter of all-time. He currently sits at the top with the most runs in Test among active cricketers. He is having a sensational run this year across the ODIs and in Test and would like to continue his form.
Marcus Trescothick to continue on an interim basis
With Root set to continue as captain, Harry Brook will have a chance to remain as his deputy and continue in the longest format. He would like to make a strong impression of his ahead of the build-up to next year’s 50-over World Cup and continue to work with the T20 and ODI team.
As Brendon McCullum has been sacked as the head coach of Test cricket and remains only in charge of the white-ball format, former English opener Marcus Trescothick is to take over on an interim basis against Pakistan, as the Three Lions are yet to announce the name of their next Test head coach.
