Root's Return: England Name Their Post-Bazball Squad for the Pakistan Tests
Published on August 6, 2026
Summary Overview: England have named a 16-player squad for the first two Tests against Pakistan, with Joe Root back as captain and recalls for Dan Lawrence, Ollie Pope, Brydon Carse and Sam Cook. Full squad and analysis.
Root's Return: England Name Their Post-Bazball Squad for the Pakistan Tests
By Cricket Daily
England have named their squad for the home Test series against Pakistan, and it marks the start of a genuinely new era. Before the detail, here are the quick answers fans are looking for.
Have England announced their squad?
Yes. The England and Wales Cricket Board has named a 16-player squad, though it covers only the first two Tests, at Headingley and Lord's. The squad for the third Test at Edgbaston will be named later.
Who is captaining England?
Joe Root. He returns as permanent Test captain for the first time since 2022, and fittingly begins at his home ground, Headingley.
What is new about this squad?
Almost everything at the top. This is England's first Test squad since Ben Stokes retired and head coach Brendon McCullum departed, so it closes the door on the aggressive "Bazball" era and opens a new chapter with recalls for Dan Lawrence, Ollie Pope, Brydon Carse and Sam Cook.
When does the series start?
The first Test begins at Headingley on 19 August, with play starting at 11:00 AM local time.
Now, the full picture.
A new era after Bazball
For the last few years, England's Test team was defined by the partnership of captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum, and the fearless, fast-scoring style known as Bazball. That era is now over. Stokes has retired from international cricket, McCullum has left his role in charge of the Test side, and England are rebuilding.
There is a handover happening behind the scenes too. For anyone new to the setup, the head coach runs the team off the field. Marcus Trescothick, the former England batter, is the interim head coach for this Pakistan series, with the newly appointed Stephen Fleming set to officially take charge later in the year. Fleming worked alongside Trescothick during selection, so the transition is being managed carefully rather than rushed.
Joe Root back in charge
The most significant change is the captaincy. Joe Root, one of the greatest batters England has ever produced, returns as permanent Test captain for the first time since he stepped down in 2022. He led England a record number of times in his first spell, so this is a return to a familiar job rather than a leap into the unknown.
Handing the role back to Root gives England a calm, hugely experienced leader at a moment of change, and there is a nice storyline in him starting his second stint in front of his home crowd in Leeds.
The batting: a reshuffled top order
The batting line-up has a fresh look, largely forced by injury. Young wicketkeeper-batter Jordan Cox is set to bat at number three, one of the most important positions in the order, in place of Jacob Bethell. Bethell has been ruled out of the entire series after hurting his knee during England's one-day matches against India.
Around Cox, the top order leans on familiar names. Ben Duckett anchors the opening, Harry Brook brings his attacking flair to the middle order, and captain Root remains the batting cornerstone. Ollie Pope, the former vice-captain, is recalled after being left out during the Ashes and responding with strong form for his county. There is a new face too in uncapped Durham batter Emilio Gay, a sign that England are blending experience with emerging talent.
One notable absence is regular opener Zak Crawley, who did not make this 16-man group, though England did not spell out the reason in the announcement.
The Dan Lawrence recall
One of the feel-good stories of the squad is the return of Dan Lawrence. He is back in the Test set-up two years after his last appearance, rewarded for an outstanding domestic season with Surrey in which he piled up runs and hundreds in the County Championship.
He is expected to bat at number six and to double as a part-time off-spin option, which matters more than it sounds. Ben Stokes' retirement left England short of an all-rounder, a player who contributes with both bat and ball, and Lawrence's bowling helps fill that gap while strengthening the batting.
A deep pace attack, with spin from Bashir
Where England look especially strong is in fast bowling. The squad includes an intimidating group of quicks in Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, Sam Cook and Matthew Fisher. That is genuine pace and depth, and it gives Root plenty of options to rotate on English pitches that often help seam bowling.
Carse returns for the first time since last winter's Ashes tour, and Cook, who has played just one Test, gets another chance to establish himself. The lone frontline spinner is off-spinner Shoaib Bashir, with Lawrence offering a second spin option if conditions demand it.
What it all means
Put it together and this is a squad in transition, pairing a proven captain and a strong bowling attack with a reshaped, slightly experimental batting order. England will still start as favourites at home, but there are questions to answer, particularly about the settled look of the top order.
The opponent will not make it easy. This series is part of the World Test Championship, the two-year competition to crown the best Test side in the world, so points are on the line. And Pakistan arrive with momentum of their own, having drawn their previous series in the West Indies under captain Babar Azam and a refreshed coaching setup. England at home against a confident Pakistan is a proper contest, and it is the first real test of the country's post-Bazball direction.
Keep it locked to Cricket Daily for the third Test squad, team news, and full coverage of the Pakistan tour of England.
England's squad for the first two Tests
Batters: Joe Root (captain), Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Harry Brook, Jordan Cox, Emilio Gay
Wicketkeeper: Jamie Smith
All-rounder: Dan Lawrence (bats and bowls off-spin)
Pace bowlers: Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Matthew Fisher, Ollie Robinson, Josh Tongue Spinner: Shoaib Bashir