Joe Root is England's Test captain again at 35 years old, returning to a role he has already held longer than anyone else in the country's history.
Root led in 65 Tests during his first full-time stint, stepping down in 2022 after a run of one win in 17 Tests that included another Ashes series loss in Australia. He later admitted he had developed an "unhealthy relationship" with the captaincy. He stepped in again earlier this summer when Ben Stokes was suspended for the second match of the series against New Zealand. Now, with Stokes retired and Stephen Fleming appointed as the new Test head coach following Brendon McCullum's departure, Root has been formally reappointed.
According to Yahoo Sports, Root's record across those 65 Tests stands at 27 wins, 27 losses, and 11 draws, a win percentage of 41.53 percent. Stokes finished his captaincy career at 54.54 percent, behind only Mike Brearley among England captains who led the team more than 15 times.
Root's record was not without bright spots. He was long groomed for the role and succeeded Alastair Cook in early 2017. He made 190 in his first Test as captain on the way to a 3-1 series victory over South Africa. But a difficult Ashes series followed in the winter of 2017/18, and Australia remained a persistent problem throughout his tenure. He won just two Tests across three series defeats against them as England captain.
The Covid pandemic also shaped his captaincy in ways outside his control. After a series win in South Africa at the end of 2019, England moved through a heavy, disrupted schedule that wore on results and eventually contributed to his stepping down.
His batting average dipped when carrying the captaincy. Root averaged 46.70 with the bat as skipper against 53.34 in all other Tests, a difference that reflects the added load of leading the side.
Root now adds to his record tally of Tests as captain with a new coaching structure around him and a team still adjusting to life after Stokes.
