'Plug him in as attack leader' - England-Pakistan player ratings

England secured a much-needed Test victory over Pakistan at Headingley, with the team's top performers receiving their ratings in the aftermath of the three-day contest. Emilio Gay managed to score a modest 33 runs in his lone innings, although his early dismissal was a recurring issue in his Test career. Meanwhile, Ben Duckett managed just 15 runs and burned a review, but he made a straightforward catch in his new fielding position, vacated by Joe Root.

Jordan Cox made a commendable 73 runs at number three, steadying the innings with authority and calmness. Joe Root had another impressive start to his second captaincy stint, scoring 66 runs in the second innings, with Pakistan's second innings also featuring a couple of dismissals caught at leg slip and backward square leg. Harry Brook and Dan Lawrence both managed to score 91 and 51 runs respectively, showcasing their adaptability to fit into the team's lineup.

Jamie Smith's performance was marred by a poor shot that led to his dismissal for 25 runs on the third morning. Gus Atkinson bowled reasonably well with figures of 1-51, but looked short of rhythm. Ollie Robinson was named Player of the Match, with his exceptional bowling performance of 5-51 in the first innings. Jofra Archer showed improvement in the second innings, while Josh Tongue and Azan Awais both picked up eight wickets each, despite initial struggles.

Azad Awais and Imam-ul-Haq struggled with scores of nine and 42 respectively, while Shan Masood and Abdullah Shafique scored five and 29 runs each. Muhammad Rizwan managed to make 41 runs in the second innings, but should have made more of an effort to challenge the stumps. Ali Usman and Mohammad Abbas both bowled well, while Mohammad Ali was let down by Pakistan's lack of pace in their attack.