Robinson & Tongue give ideal start to new Root era

Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue delivered a dream start for new England captain Joe Root, each claiming five wickets to dismantle Pakistan for 171 on the opening day of the Test series at Headingley. Root, returning to captaincy after a previous stint ended four years ago, saw his bowlers seize control of the match after he won the toss and opted to bowl first.

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Root won the toss, pounced on the opportunity to bowl first and Robinson set the tone by pinning Azan Awais leg before with the first ball of the match.

Robinson set the tone immediately, taking a wicket with the first ball of the match. He expertly exploited the movement available on the pitch, consistently bowling a full length to finish with figures of 5-51. Tongue, initially slower to find his rhythm, also proved formidable once he hit the correct length, taking the final four wickets in a devastating burst of 4-5 from 11 balls to complete his five-wicket haul for 46 runs.

Pakistan's innings lasted just 48.1 overs, with Abdullah Shafique offering the main resistance with 61 runs, supported by Imam-ul-Haq's 42. A near two-hour rain delay also interrupted play. In England's reply, the hosts lost openers Ben Duckett and Emilio Gay, finding themselves at 48-2.

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Tongue took longer to warm to his task but when he also found the correct length, he was also too much for Pakistan to handle. Tongue's 5-46 ended with a final devastating burst of 4-5 from 11 balls.

However, captain Joe Root, as he has often done, steadied the innings. Batting alongside Jordan Cox, Root calmly guided England to 112-2 by the close of play, leaving them 59 runs behind Pakistan's total. This strong performance marks a positive step for England, who have struggled with results, winning only two of their last 10 matches. The team is navigating a transition period, with Stephen Fleming set to become coach in the winter, as Root aims to improve the team's performance.

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Captain or not, Root is so often the man to steady England's batting, and he has said his team will not be wedded to a style of play.