Joe Root's second spell as England captain began with a dominant victory over Pakistan at Headingley, winning by an innings and 103 runs inside three days. England dismissed Pakistan for just 135 in their second innings, with standout bowling performances from Josh Tongue (8-89) and Ollie Robinson (career-best 8-80). The win marks only England's third in their last eleven matches, providing a much-needed boost following the retirements of Ben Stokes and departure of Brendon McCullum as Test coach.

Root won the toss and chose to field, setting the tone early when Ollie Robinson trapped Azan Awais lbw with the first ball of the match. England declared their second innings at 409, with contributions from Ben Brook (91), Jordan Cox (73), and Root himself (66). Cox's fluent 73 in only his second Test suggests a promising future at the highest level.

Pakistan's performance was disappointing, particularly without injured captain Babar Azam. Their batting lineup struggled against England's pace attack, and their fielding was described as scruffy. The lack of atmosphere typically associated with Pakistan's away fixtures was also noted, with minimal support evident throughout the match.

England can secure the series with victory in the second Test at Lord's, where they previously defeated New Zealand in just two days. This win extends England's remarkable run at Headingley, where they have now won seven consecutive matches dating back to 2018.