England’s Check summer season enters a brand new section after they face Pakistan at Headingley, with the primary Check marking the start of life after Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum. Stokes’ retirement brings an finish to an period that reworked England’s strategy to Check cricket, whereas McCullum’s departure means a brand new teaching regime can also be ready within the wings. Joe Root, in the meantime, begins his second stint as full-time captain, three years after stepping down from the position, with Marcus Trescothick taking interim cost till Stephen Fleming assumes the top coach’s position later this 12 months.
For all of the discuss of transition, England desperately want a sequence win. Their final success in a multi-Check sequence got here in opposition to New Zealand in November-December 2024, and their report since has been underwhelming. They drew 2-2 at house in opposition to India final summer season, endured a 4-1 Ashes defeat in Australia after which misplaced 2-1 to New Zealand at house earlier this 12 months, a sequence that in the end introduced Stokes’ Check profession to a detailed.
Pakistan, in the meantime, arrive with a change of their very own on the high. Babar Azam is again as Check captain after Shan Masood’s tenure ended with 12 defeats in 16 Checks. Masood’s facet suffered a sequence of heavy setbacks, together with whitewashes in Australia and South Africa and one other in opposition to Bangladesh, earlier than Pakistan lastly halted an eight-match winless run in away Checks by beating West Indies within the second Check of their latest sequence.
However Babar will not be accessible for the primary Check, having sustained an harm to his proper hand through the three-day warm-up match in opposition to Skilled County Membership Choose XI. Having retired harm after scoring 5 within the first innings, he didn’t participate within the the rest of the sport as a “precautionary measure”. Nonetheless, he hasn’t recovered in time for the second sport, with coach Sarfaraz Ahmed confirming that Salman Agha will lead the workforce at Leeds.
For England, Headingley presents a possibility to make the post-Stokes period start with a press release. Root’s return to the captaincy shall be watched carefully, however his largest accountability shall be to make sure England’s batting has sufficient substance round Harry Brook, Ben Duckett and himself. Pakistan, with a brand new captain, a number of new faces and their very own questions over personnel, will look to use any uncertainty. It is a Check the place either side are trying to maneuver past troublesome latest chapters, evidenced by their WTC standings with England at seventh and Pakistan eighth.
When: 1st Check, August 19-23, 11:00 AM Native (3:30 PM IST)
The place: Leeds, Headingley
What to anticipate: Leeds final hosted the England-India Check match in June 2025, with England chasing down a goal of 371 in a high-scoring sport. On this season’s County Championship, there was one high-scoring draw – Yorkshire vs Sussex – whereas Yorkshire fell nicely quick in a chase of 426 in opposition to Hampshire, and later gained by an innings in opposition to Surrey after posting a primary innings whole of 486. Rain is forecast for the primary couple of days, with Day 2 more likely to see extra interruptions.
Group information:
England: Jacob Bethell’s knee harm, sustained through the ODI sequence in opposition to India final month, guidelines him out of the Pakistan sequence and opens the door for Jordan Cox to maneuver as much as No. 3. Dan Lawrence returns to the facet for the primary time in two years after a prolific County season with Surrey and is anticipated to bat at No. 6, pushing Jamie Smith down one place. Ollie Pope and Brydon Carse are additionally again after being omitted following the Ashes, whereas Sam Cook dinner earns one other alternative after making his Check debut in opposition to Zimbabwe final 12 months. Emilio Homosexual had suffered a shoulder harm through the One Day Cup however he featured within the warm-up sport in opposition to Pakistan, though he bagged a pair.
Possible XI: Ben Duckett, Emilio Homosexual, Jordan Cox, Joe Root (c), Harry Brook, Dan Lawrence, Jamie Smith (wk), Ollie Robinson / Gus Atkinson, Jofra Archer, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue
Pakistan: Masood’s availability stays doubtful for the Leeds Check as he recovers from an injured index finger on his left hand, sustained through the first Check in opposition to West Indies. His substitute for the second Check – Abdullah Shafique – gave a great account of himself with an unbeaten 160 within the first innings whereas Mohammad Abbas ought to return for the Headingley sport, having missed out from a spin-heavy Pakistan XI in Port of Spain.
Possible XI: Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Salman Agha (c), Saud Shakeel, Awais Zafar, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Ali Usman, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali
Do you know?
– Of the 28 Checks performed in England since 2022, solely two have led to attracts (each at Previous Trafford – Ashes 2023 and India tour 2025
– England scored at 4.4 runs per over in 44 Checks below Ben Stokes, the best for any workforce below a captain to have led in not less than 10 matches
– Pakistan’s three Check sequence wins in England got here on three consecutive excursions – in 1987, 1992 and 1996 respectively. In six sequence within the nation since (all since 2001), England have gained three whereas three led to attracts
What they mentioned:
“I do not assume there’s an enormous quantity we have to change. It is small issues that can make a giant distinction. It is not about ripping it up, I believe it is about preserving loads of the great things we have been doing for a time frame, stuff that Ben and Baz constructed for a protracted whereas. I do not imagine there’s a method of enjoying Check cricket. You have to be adaptable and play the scenario. It is by no means the identical all through 5 days, there’s totally different challenges and you have to modify to the ebbs and flows all through” – Joe Root, England Check captain, on whether or not the workforce will stick with the Bazball strategy.
