Nasser Hussain praises Joe Root’s mature captaincy in England’s innings win over Pakistan

Former England captain Nasser Hussain commended Joe Root’s return to full-time Test captaincy after England’s commanding innings and 103-run victory over Pakistan in the Leeds Test on August 22. Hussain noted Root did not emulate Ben Stokes’ approach, praising the team’s maturity. Root’s leadership was key in securing crucial points in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27. England’s innings included a half-century by Root, equalling Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 68 Test fifties. Speaking after the match, Hussain said Root had ‘three really good days’ as captain, despite a weakened Pakistani side. He highlighted England’s fielding strategy, particularly the decision to field without a frontline spinner due to Ben Stokes’ absence. Hussain remarked, ‘It was never about trying to be Stokes; it was just Joe Root being Joe.’ Comparing Root’s captaincy to his earlier stint, Hussain noted improvement, contrasting England’s approach with the criticized Bazball style. Vice-captain Harry Brook’s self-reflection and adaptation were also praised. England won the toss and fielded first, taking 10 wickets with Josh Tongue and Ollie Robinson leading the bowling. Notable resistance came from Abdullah Shafique (61 runs) and Imam-ul-Haq (42 runs). England scored 409 runs, with significant contributions from Brook (91), Jordan Cox (73), Root (66), and Dan Lawrence (51). Pakistan collapsed to 135 in their second innings, securing England’s 1-0 series lead. Ollie Robinson was named Player of the Match for his eight wickets.