Joe Root Returns as England Test Captain at 35 as Stephen Fleming Helps Sway Decision
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 1
Joe Root Returns as England Test Captain at 35 as Stephen Fleming Helps Sway Decision
3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 1
Summary
19 August will mark Joe Root’s second full stint as England Test captain, starting against Pakistan at Headingley after he accepted the role from incoming coach Stephen Fleming.
Fleming’s appointment was a major factor in Root’s decision, with Root saying their early talks showed they were aligned and left him excited to work together.
Root steps back in four years after resigning following a 10-wicket loss to West Indies, when England had won only one of 17 Tests and he said the job had become unhealthy.
Since giving up the captaincy in 2022, Root has averaged more than 54 and scored 16 of his 41 Test hundreds, strengthening his case to lead again.
He and Fleming inherit a side unsettled by defeats to Australia and New Zealand, off-field disciplinary issues, and the June exit of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum.