Root hails emerging fast bowlers as England thrash Pakistan
LEEDS: Joe Root said a new-look England pace quartet “don’t really understand how good they are” after helping him launch his second stint as full-time Test captain with an innings and 103-run rout of a lacklustre Pakistan at Headingley on Friday.
Headingley witnessed an emphatic English victory over Pakistan on Friday as Joe Root inaugurated his second full-time Test captaincy with an innings and 103-run haul. The match marked the debut of a fast-bowling quartet comprising Ollie Robinson, Josh Tongue, Jofra Archer and Gus Atkinson, who stunned the visitors with a dominant display.
Robinson and Tongue each claimed five wickets, while Archer and Atkinson added three wickets each in the second innings. Sussex captain Robinson was named player-of-the-match for his exceptional performance of 8-80. Root expressed his confidence in the pace quartet, acknowledging they might take some time to fully appreciate their potential.
This victory marked England's third win in 11 Tests, with interim coach Marcus Trescothick assisting Root ahead of the arrival of Stephen Fleming as the new red-ball coach. Pakistan, who had arrived in England fresh from a drawn series in the West Indies, struggled to adapt to the conditions, losing 171 in their first innings and 135 in the second.
The team's fielding, in particular, was criticized for drop catches and ineffective attempts to prevent boundaries. Despite the loss, Pakistan's stand-in captain Salman Ali Agha remained optimistic about the side's future, suggesting he would be willing to hand back the captaincy to Babar Azam if he returns from injury.
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