Joe Root hit an unbeaten 62 and Jordan Cox finished on 59 not out as England survived a late scare to beat Pakistan by eight wickets in the third Test at Edgbaston, sealing a 3-0 series sweep and closing out a summer that began with the shock retirement of captain Ben Stokes and the sacking of Test coach Brendon McCullum.
Root, who first regained the captaincy for the second Test against New Zealand in June after Stokes was left out for breaking a team curfew, said the group had learned more from the chaos than from any smooth run of results. Stokes had been backed to remain in post alongside McCullum after last winter's Ashes defeat by Australia, but retired following the series defeat by New Zealand a Test later. McCullum was then sacked and Root handed the captaincy on a full-time basis for a second time, having previously held the role from 2017 to 2022.
"In chaos you learn a lot about the group of players you have," Root said. "For us to have come through this series in the manner we have done, the way we've gone about our cricket, and gone about things has been really pleasing."
The build-up to the second Test was overshadowed by an incident involving bowler Brydon Carse outside a nightclub in Derby. Root said the team's response to the off-field distractions had been as important as the cricket.
"There's been a lot of chaos around this series before a ball was bowled and the way we've handled it on and off the field, the way everyone understands what is expected of them, both as a player and how we want to carry ourselves, is a really good thing," Root said. "The start of the series we wanted 3-0 and we've been clinical enough to do that."
A side previously questioned for their professionalism has appeared more mature and adaptable. Players such as Dan Lawrence, who came into the side in place of Stokes, and Cox have impressed, as did the four-man pace attack until struggles against the Pakistan lower order on Friday in Birmingham.
Root said the team's development off the field was the most significant progress.
"We're not the finished article," Root told BBC Test Match Special. "We're not going to kid ourselves. That'll be a constant work [in progress]. The culture of this team is not something that's going to happen overnight, it's something we're going to have to live and breathe day in, day out. It's a good set of lads, really good guys that work incredibly hard and performances like this and commitment to what we're trying to achieve, both on and off the field, will be what earns trust and respect to everyone that supports us."
Former England captain Michael Vaughan agreed the team remains a work in progress, and cautioned against reading too much into a series win over Pakistan.
"We can't judge this England team against Pakistan," Vaughan said. "Let's not get too excited but what you see is a huge amount of talent. You have Jordan Cox looking so calm, England's greatest [Root] at number four, Harry Brook a generational talent, Dan Lawrence has fitted in lovely and Jamie Smith, whose keeping has been brilliant and batting has looked good. But they have not won a five-Test series since 2017. That is what you get judged on."
Root's return to the captaincy has brought a calming presence to a role he previously held for five years. The summer's turmoil, including the loss of Stokes and McCullum within weeks of each other, could have derailed the side. Instead, England finished with a clean sweep and a sense of direction that looked unlikely when the season began.
The series win over Pakistan was secured on the final day at Edgbaston, with Root and Cox guiding the chase after a brief wobble. The victory gave England their first 3-0 sweep of a home summer since 2020 and provided a measure of stability heading into the winter programme. Root said the work is only beginning, but the evidence of the past few weeks suggests the group has found a way to function under pressure. England have not won a five-Test series since 2017, a record that will define how this team is ultimately judged.
According to BBC Sports.