Root disappointed over Headingley missing out on Ashes test
Cricket - First Test - England v Pakistan - Headingley Cricket Ground, Leeds, Britain - August 21, 2026 England's Joe Root reacts Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith
LEEDS, England, Aug 21 : England captain Joe Root expressed his disappointment on Friday that Headingley will not stage an Ashes test next year after leading his country to a crushing victory over Pakistan by an innings and 103 runs at his home ground.
England have won their last seven tests in Leeds, including wins over Australia on their last two visits, and Root feels the ECB have missed a trick in choosing to overlook the ground.
Lord’s, The Oval, Edgbaston, Trent Bridge and Southampton will stage Ashes tests next summer with England not down to play another men’s test at Headingley until 2029.
“I’d love to play as many games as possible here. I think it’s a great test match venue,” said Root.
“It’s a surface that provides brilliant test cricket and one that we’ve had quite a lot of success at recently, so it’s a shame that we don’t get to play here next year but I’m sure we’ll see many, many more brilliant test matches here.
“As a player it would be nice to have a choice. It’s a ground that we generally do well at and we love playing here. As a Yorkshireman I sort of have to say that from birth.”
Root was delighted with the manner of the victory over Pakistan in his first game since assuming the permanent captaincy role again.
“It couldn’t have really gone better for us,” he said.
“I’m just really pleased with our performance and the way we dealt with things out there.”
Pakistan’s defeat was their ninth in their last 10 away matches.
“We’re not playing well for sure when it comes to away series. We haven’t done well anywhere in the world and this is concerning,” said Pakistan stand-in captain Salman Ali Agha.
“One thing I can say is we are trying and hopefully in the second game we can change that. We'll come back stronger."
