Joe Root is set to be re-appointed as England’s Test captain following Ben Stokes’ retirement. The move, expected for the Pakistan series, allows Harry Brook to focus on white-ball captaincy amid a search for a new Test coach.
Joe Root Set for Second Stint as England Test Captain
England batter Joe Root is likely to get another spell as Test captain after the retirement of skipper Ben Stokes from international cricket. Root’s role as captain could extend to the next men’s Ashes tour at home against Australia from June to August next year.
England’s search for a new skipper after Stokes’ retirement looks to end with a second spell for Root looking as the most realistic choice. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) are set to announce Root as the next Test captain for the three-match Test series against Pakistan starting from August 19, as per The Athletic.
Coaching Shake-up and Harry Brook’s Future
Root has captained England in 65 Tests between 2017 to 2026, winning 27, losing 27 and 11 ending in a draw, with a modest win percentage of 41.53. Root’s re-appointment as captain would help the other alternative, a young Harry Brook, to continue working exclusively as a captain in the white-ball sides ahead of next year’s 2027 Cricket World Cup and 2028 T20 World Cup, with the white-ball coach Brendon McCullum, with whom he has formed a promising partnership.
The Aftermath of Stokes’ Retirement and McCullum’s Exit
The question is who will replace McCullum as the Test head coach, with assistant coach Marcus Trescothick likely to be roped in as an interim head coach against Pakistan. The ECB has been grappling with replacement of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum after 2-1 series loss to New Zealand at home. Stokes called it a day during the third Test of the series and McCullum was removed as a Test head coach after four years post the series, which marked England’s first loss at home in 12 years.
Captaincy Hurdles and Considerations
Root notably also served as a stand-in to Stokes during the second Test against New Zealand, with the all-rounder having been suspended due to breach in team protocol with a late-night drinking session in a club with pacer Gus Atkinson after a win in the first Test at Lord’s. He led a team featuring three debutants and two other players having played just one Test each. Bringing back Root, England’s current best Test player, on the verge of overtaking Sachin Tendulkar’s all-time run tally of 15,921 runs, has its odds as his first spell ended in 2022 with just one win in 17 Tests.
Brook has not been considered as a Test captain yet, given his involvement in a late-night club altercation in Wellington last winter that led to a fine of 30,000 pounds and a final warning.
ECB’s Search for a New Head Coach
The coaching situation has become complicated with former England coach and currently Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) coach Andy Flower ruling himself out of the race due to franchise cricket commitments in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and in The Hundred with London Spirit.
The ECB has also been talking to other candidates but does not want to rush their decision as they have some time to think over the head coach position, with their next Test assignment after the Pakistan series being the South African tour in December. Trescothick, during the Pakistan series, could have Glamorgan coach Richard Dawson alongside him. Former Australian opener Justin Langer is not in the race for the coaching gig, while Stephen Fleming, the ex-New Zealand captain who recently parted ways with five-time IPL champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK), being another leading choice for the role.
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