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A report from The i Paper<\/a>claims the 35-year old\u2019s appointment is all but sealed, with a lack of viable alternatives leaving Root the clearest choice.<\/p>\n He is set to lead the team until at least the end of next year\u2019s Ashes series in England before a long-term replacement is found.<\/p>\n His first assignment will be a three-Test home series against Pakistan that begins on 19 August (AEST).<\/p>\n Vice-captain Harry Brook is not being considered, despite Stokes giving his blessing in his final press conference after retiring from international cricket.<\/p>\n The star batter\u2019s role as ODI and T20I captain has left powerbrokers unwilling to further burden the prodigiously talented 27-year old.<\/p>\n Brook\u2019s off-field misdemeanours, most famously a late-night incident in Wellington<\/a> during a white-ball tour of New Zealand in the lead-in to the 2025\/26 Ashes, also count against him.<\/p>\n LATEST CRICKET NEWS<\/p>\n \ufeff\u2018OPEN FOR CONSIDERATION\u2019: CA boss\u2019 shock call on bold Ashes-India idea<\/a><\/p>\n \u2018WELL-RESPECTED PLAYER\u2019: WBBL power backs in skipper despite affair allegations<\/a><\/p>\n ENGLAND COACHING TWIST: Surprise JL snub as new favourites emerge<\/a><\/p>\n Former vice-captain Ollie Pope filled in for Stokes five times across 2024 and 2025 when the all-rounder battled injury.<\/p>\n But he hasn\u2019t been seen at international level since paying the price for a poor start to the summer\u2019s Ashes, earning the last of his 64 caps in the third Test in Adelaide.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Root already holds the England record for most Tests in charge, having captained 64 times between 2016 and 2022 after succeeding Alastair Cook.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Joe Root (left) is set to succeed Ben Stokes (second from right) as Test captain. (Photo by Philip Brown\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n \u201cI have loved leading my country – but recently, it\u2019s hit home how much of a toll it has taken on me and the impact it has had on me away from the game,\u201d he said at the time.<\/p>\n The lack of clarity over the appointment is also frustrating England\u2019s search to replace Brendon McCullum<\/a> as Test coach.<\/p>\n McCullum was dismissed in the aftermath of the team\u2019s 2-1 series loss to New Zealand, amid criticism of lax discipline and poor standards under his watch.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Joe Root reacts furiously to falling to Pat Cummins during the 2025\/26 Ashes. (Photo by William WEST \/ AFP)Source: AFP<\/p>\n The lack of alternatives has led to condemnation among the UK press.<\/p>\n