Joe Root’s return as England’s Test captain began with the kind of dominant performance he would have envisioned the moment Ben Stokes retired. Pakistan skittled for 171 in 48.1 overs, Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue sharing ten wickets, and England closing on 112‑2 to trail by just 59 heading into day two at Headingley.

Root, back in charge after Stokes’ shock international exit in June, inherited a side that had lost seven of their last ten Tests across bruising series against India, Australia and New Zealand. Under leaden skies on his home ground, Root won the toss and bowled first without hesitation. His seamers then ripped through Pakistan, either side of a lengthy rain delay.

Robinson struck with the first ball of the Test, trapping Azan Awais lbw for a platinum duck from around the wicket. The first time in 19 years a wicket had fallen to the opening ball of a Test in England. He then pinned Shan Masood for 5, leaving Pakistan 6‑2 and reeling before Abdullah Shafique and Imam‑ul‑Haq briefly steadied them.

Shafique & Imam fight back

Shafique (61) and Imam (42) put on 91 from 6‑2, surviving a tricky early spell from Tongue and punishing anything loose once the rain cleared. England burned two reviews in the hunt for further breakthroughs, but once play resumed after the 11.50am‑1.45pm delay, Pakistan moved to 97‑3 and looked capable of posting something competitive.

Tongue changed that. His dismissal of Imam, nicking off for 42, triggered a collapse that saw the tourists lose their final eight wickets for 74 and their last five for 21. Robinson bowled Shafique with a beauty that jagged in sharply, beating the bat and clattering the stumps, while Saud Shakeel (5) was pinned lbw after taking too long to review. Ball-tracking technology indicated the delivery would have missed leg stump.

Salman Ali Agha, captaining in place of the injured Babar Azam (hand), made 21 before Tongue bowled him through the gate. Ali Usman (0) was trapped lbw next ball, giving Tongue a hat‑trick chance after tea. Khurram Shahzad (14) denied him with a crisp cover‑driven four, but Tongue kept coming, removing Mohammad Rizwan (12) lbw and then obliterating Mohammad Abbas’ off stump for 2 to complete his five‑for.

Robinson’s own five‑for ‑51. This was his fifth in Test cricket and second of the summer. It could have arrived two balls earlier had Gus Atkinson not spilled Khurram at mid‑on, but the fielder made amends shortly after when Khurram sliced to him again.

England’s attack sharp from the start

Robinson, playing his first Test since the series opener against New Zealand at Lord’s. Which is where he took seven wickets and a triple‑wicket maiden. He bowled with the same accuracy and control that earned him Player of the Match there. Tongue, meanwhile, continued his impressive rise, hitting hard lengths and maintaining pressure throughout.

Jofra Archer, returning to red‑ball cricket, had a mixed day. His nine overs cost 26, including 12 off his fourth, and he was hooked after two overs of the new ball. He looked every bit a bowler adjusting back from white‑ball rhythms, but England will hope the outing sharpens him for the rest of the series.

Shafique arrived in Leeds off an unbeaten 160 in Pakistan’s Test win in the West Indies earlier this month and a fifty in the warm‑up against a County Select XI. Once he survived Tongue’s early examination, he looked well attuned to red‑ball cricket, reaching his sixth Test fifty from 82 balls before Robinson’s jaffa ended his resistance.

England reply with control

England’s reply began with Ben Duckett (15) falling lbw to Abbas and Emilio Gay (33) edging Ali to slip. Gay, who bagged a pair for the County XI in the warm‑up, settled quickly here, clipping and driving fluently before prodding to slip.

Jordan Cox, promoted to No 3 in place of the injured Jacob Bethell, joined Root and the pair guided England to stumps with an unbroken stand of 64. Cox finished 23 not out, Root 37 not out, both looking comfortable against a Pakistan attack that struggled to match Abbas’ precision. Khurram and Ali leaked runs. Joe Root was calm, compact, and increasingly assured.

The day had been extended after the rain, and more showers threaten day two. But whenever play resumes, England will do so from a position of strength, with Root’s decision to bowl first already vindicated and his second captaincy stint off to a quietly authoritative start.

For now, England hold the advantage. A disciplined bowling performance, two five‑fors, and their captain back in rhythm on familiar turf.

Featured Image courtesy of Crick Info

By Faz Ali

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