Joe Root admitted it is a “shame” there will be no men’s Ashes Test at Headingley next summer after toasting his return as Test captain with another win at one of England’s happiest hunting grounds.
Root’s first match back in the job ended in a thumping victory over Pakistan, who succumbed by an innings and 103 runs in less than three days at his Yorkshire HQ.
That made it seven wins in a row at the venue dating back to 2018 – a sequence that includes two crucial victories over bitter rivals Australia.
But Leeds missed out on a match in the 2027 series, effectively losing out to Hampshire’s Utilita Bowl, denying Root’s side access to one of the best seaming pitches and most partisan crowds in the country.
The one-off Test in the concurrent Women’s Ashes will take place at Headingley but that does little to help Root’s chances of reclaiming the urn for the first time since 2015.
“I would love to play as many games as possible here. It’s a great Test match venue and a surface that provides brilliant Test cricket,” he said after his winning return as skipper.
“We’ve had quite a lot of success on it recently, so it’s a shame we don’t get to play here next year. I’m sure we will see many, many more brilliant Test matches here.”
Responding to the suggestion that Australia would never allow their Brisbane fortress at the Gabba to fall out of rotation in an Ashes year, Root added: “Obviously this is a slightly different system here and a different way that things are done. I think I should probably stay in my lane and understand that it’s someone else’s job to sort out.
“But as a player, you want to play at the grounds you have most success at as a team, clearly. It’s one that we generally do well at and I love playing here – as the Yorkshireman I have to say that from birth, so I’m glad it’s the case.”
Beyond that, Root cut a satisfied figure as he took in a comprehensive win. He failed to win any of his previous 10 Tests in charge, including a caretaker outing against New Zealand before Ben Stokes’ shock retirement, but led a transitional side with calmness and control.
Player-of-the-match Ollie Robinson and the increasingly impressive Josh Tongue took eight wickets apiece to drive the dominance home, backed up by Jofra Archer and Gus Atkinson in a impressive-looking pace quartet that had never played together before.
Root, who leant heavily on the peerless duo of James Anderson and Stuart Broad in his previous spell, could not hide his excitement at their polished performance.
“I don’t think they really understand how good they are, how well they complement each other and what they are capable of doing in these conditions,” he purred.
“It’s really nice for them to see that and to start a series like that. Clearly we will have different challenges and surfaces to manage, but it’s a brilliant start to things.”
While the victory belongs to Root and interim head coach Marcus Trescothick there was daily input from the incoming Stephen Fleming, who arrives in England to begin his tenure next month.
“We spoke every day,” said Root. “He’s kept tabs on things. It’s been great to have him on the end of the phone. He’s very invested already in what we’re trying to achieve.”
Root’s opposite number Salman Ali Agha, who took the reins at the 11th hour after Babar Azam failed a fitness test, summed up an unhappy week for the tourists when asked if he expected to be in charge for the second Test at Lord’s.
“I’m more than happy to hand back the captaincy,” he said with an air of resignation.
“Hopefully he’s fine.”
