Root back as England Test captain as Pakistan series opens at Headingley

Joe Root returns as England Test captain for the first of three Rothesay Tests against Pakistan, starting 19 August 2026 at Headingley. Ben Stokes has left the setup and Brendan McCullum lost half his coaching remit. England sit seventh in the nine-team World Test Championship after losing to New Zealand in June. The series counts toward the 2025–27 WTC cycle.