England are set to go back to the future by appointing Joe Root as Ben Stokes’ replacement as Test captain.
Four years after passing the reins over to the talismanic all-rounder, a handover that sparked the beginning of the ‘Bazball’ era, the nation’s most prolific ever run-scorer has emerged as the clear frontrunner.
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A report from The i Paperclaims the 35-year old’s appointment is all but sealed, with a lack of viable alternatives leaving Root the clearest choice.
He is set to lead the team until at least the end of next year’s Ashes series in England before a long-term replacement is found.
His first assignment will be a three-Test home series against Pakistan that begins on 19 August (AEST).
Vice-captain Harry Brook is not being considered, despite Stokes giving his blessing in his final press conference after retiring from international cricket.
The star batter’s role as ODI and T20I captain has left powerbrokers unwilling to further burden the prodigiously talented 27-year old.
Brook’s off-field misdemeanours, most famously a late-night incident in Wellington during a white-ball tour of New Zealand in the lead-in to the 2025/26 Ashes, also count against him.
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Former vice-captain Ollie Pope filled in for Stokes five times across 2024 and 2025 when the all-rounder battled injury.
But he hasn’t been seen at international level since paying the price for a poor start to the summer’s Ashes, earning the last of his 64 caps in the third Test in Adelaide.
With a suddenly fragile batting order and few leadership candidates among the bowlers, the ECB have been left no alternative but to return to Root.
The right-hander filled in for Stokes in the second Test of their series against New Zealand in June when the 35-year old was controversially suspended for breaking a team curfew.
Root already holds the England record for most Tests in charge, having captained 64 times between 2016 and 2022 after succeeding Alastair Cook.
However, his record is mediocre, with a 27-27 win-loss record to go with 11 draws as captain, including Ashes losses in 2017/18 and 2021/22 and a drawn series on home soil in 2019.
Joe Root (left) is set to succeed Ben Stokes (second from right) as Test captain. (Photo by Philip Brown/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Following the latter tour, which saw coach Chris Silverwood sacked, and subsequent disastrous 1-0 series loss in the West Indies, a drained Root handed in his resignation.
“I have loved leading my country – but recently, it’s hit home how much of a toll it has taken on me and the impact it has had on me away from the game,” he said at the time.
The lack of clarity over the appointment is also frustrating England’s search to replace Brendon McCullum as Test coach.
McCullum was dismissed in the aftermath of the team’s 2-1 series loss to New Zealand, amid criticism of lax discipline and poor standards under his watch.
It has been reported that former Australian coach Justin Langer, who briefly emerged as a favourite for the role, is not being considered, with former England Test players Jonathan Trott and Richard Dawson the new frontrunners.
Joe Root reacts furiously to falling to Pat Cummins during the 2025/26 Ashes. (Photo by William WEST / AFP)Source: AFP
The lack of alternatives has led to condemnation among the UK press.
Writing for The Athletic, Nick Miller bemoaned Root’s status as the “only adult left standing”, and expressed fears the extra responsibility could impact his batting.
“This is a consequence of the scorched earth left by Brendon McCullum and Stokes’ tenure,” Miller wrote.
“The team is in such a state of flux that Root is the only adult left standing; the only player guaranteed his place in the team who can command the respect of the others.
“Reappointing Root is also a significant risk in terms of his batting form. In this time of flux, England can’t afford not to have their greatest ever batter at the top of his game.”
Since handing over the captaincy, Root has averaged a whopping 54.16, including 16 of his 41 Test centuries.
In July 2025, he passed Australian legend Ricky Ponting into outright second on the all-time Test run-scoring charts.
With 14,114 runs to date, he is within 2,000 of Indian icon Sachin Tendulkar’s mark of 15,921.