Joe Root is back as England captain, y’all. Yeah, you read that right. After quitting in 2022, the Yorkshireman is taking the reins again for the three-match series against Pakistan, kicking off Wednesday at Headingley. It’s a massive challenge, especially given the chaos he’s walking into, but if anyone deserves a shot at redemption, it’s Root.
The Whirlwind Root Is Stepping Into
Let’s be real, the situation Root is inheriting from Ben Stokes is, well, messy. Stokes’ four-year stint didn’t leave the team in a better state than he found it; he inherited a squad with one win in 17 and left with two wins in 10. Plus, Brendon McCullum got sacked as Test coach, with Stephen Fleming as his replacement. But Fleming isn’t even in post yet, so Marcus Trescothick is the interim boss while McCullum still floats around as white-ball gaffer. It all feels super temporary, echoing Root’s last tour as captain in the West Indies in 2022, where England lost 1-0 with Paul Collingwood as temporary coach, and Root resigned soon after. Dude was broken then, swore he’d never come back. Yet, here he is, smiling, energized, ready to go again on his home ground.
Why the Comeback? Unresolved Business
Plenty are scratching their heads wondering why he’d put himself through this again. But think about it: giving up a dream job, admitting you can’t do it. Root must have regrets from his first five-year run. There’s a clear sense of unresolved business, a story left unfinished. Stokes couldn’t finish his Ashes win destiny, but now Root has a shot to finish his own. His first captaincy record before the wheels fell off? Pretty darn good: 26 wins from his first 47 matches, a 55% success rate. That beats Stokes’ 54% and Michael Vaughan’s 51%. Covid absolutely wrecked his team, and white-ball cricket got prioritized during his tenure. He even admitted to some envy watching Stokes work with McCullum later on. You can’t tell me he didn’t feel he got a raw deal first time around.
An Older Root, A Younger Team
Root might feel he’s better placed to lead now, even if he’s taking over a more inexperienced team. Back in 2017, for his first Test as captain, he was the third-youngest player. Now, at 35, he’s comfortably the oldest. He had peak Stokes, James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Chris Woakes, and Moeen Ali last time. This is a different beast. Some fans are worried this captaincy will hurt his batting, which is fair; his average with the armband is 46.7, a dip from his stellar career mark of 53. But maybe this group, one he can mold in his own image, is exactly what he needs to cement his legacy.
This series against Pakistan, starting Wednesday, isn’t just a few matches. It’s Joe Root’s shot at rewriting his legacy, at finally getting the end to his captaincy story he never got before. Can he mold this young squad and prove everyone wrong? We’re about to find out.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by BBC Sport.
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