Joe Root is set to be renamed England’s Test captain ahead of their three-match series against Pakistan next month, according to The Athletic. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) are in search of a new captain following Ben Stokes’ retirement from international cricket at the end of their series against New Zealand. 

It seems like the search would end with the Yorkshireman taking the reins of the side four years after passing over the baton to Stokes ahead of the 2022 summer, which ultimately kickstarted the ‘Bazball’ era alongside head coach Brendon McCullum. 

It is worth mentioning that Root took charge of the Test side on an interim basis during the second Test against the Kiwis at the Oval in the wake of Stokes’ unavailability following the infamous nightclub controversy. England, however, suffered a 253-run defeat on that occasion, resulting in a 2-1 series defeat. 

According to the aforementioned source, Root’s second stint as England’s Test captain could extend to next summer’s home Ashes series against Australia. This will allow fellow Yorkshireman and current Test vice-captain Harry Brook to focus on his role as white-ball captain without burdening him with leadership of all three formats. 

Should Root take charge of the side, his first proper assignment will be a three-match series against South Africa away from home. However, as a good omen for the Three Lions, they won their last series in Africa 3-1 back in 2020 under the leadership of the talismanic batter. Root will also captain England against Australia in a one-off day-night Test match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Test cricket after a series away to Bangladesh.

Marcus Trescothick set to be appointed interim head coach

Apart from a Test captain, England also needed a new red-ball head coach after McCullum stood down from the role. According to The Athletic, current batting coach Marcus Trescothick could take charge of the side on an interim basis for the home series against Pakistan, starting from August 19.

There is still a minute possibility that the ECB will announce a permanent coach ahead of the three-match series. However, it is far more likely that the former opening batter will be in the dugout for the series against Pakistan. The reports also suggest that Richard Dawson, the current head coach of Glamorgan, could serve as an assistant, giving him some much-needed experience since he is also on the head coach shortlist. 

England’s search for a Test coach took a setback when Andy Flower ruled himself out of contention to focus on his franchise duties with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru and London Spirit. 

India wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson has revealed how a timely conversation with MS Dhoni helped him overcome a poor start to his IPL 2026 campaign for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

Samson entered the tournament on the back of a memorable T20 World Cup 2026, where he played a key role in India’s title-winning campaign and was named the Player of the Tournament. However, his return to franchise cricket did not go as planned, as he managed scores of 6, 7, and 9 in his first three outings for the five-time champions.

Despite the lean run, Dhoni advised the wicketkeeper-batter to remain calm and continue playing his natural game instead of trying to make unnecessary changes.

“I still remember, Mahi bhai met me after the first three matches when we went for practice. I usually sit right behind him, facing him. So, we sat down, and he looked at me and asked if I was fine. I said, ‘Bhaiya, I am fine.’ Then I kept saying ‘but’ and ‘yes’ without even realising it. Then he told me, ‘Don’t get into but. Just focus on doing what you do best. Everything will be alright.’ It was very subtle, but a huge lesson for me. He was telling me that everything is okay. Just because I was failing didn’t mean I had to change my batting style, look like I was stressed, or practice for three extra hours,” Samson said on JioStar’s Superstars show.

Samson said Dhoni’s words gave him renewed confidence and strengthened his belief that he only needed one good innings to get back into form. He also revealed that he reassured head coach Stephen Fleming that things would soon turn around.

“At that moment, I felt I really had to perform for them. Then I told Stephen Fleming, ‘Don’t worry, we’ll be fine in the next game.’ And in the next game, I scored a hundred against Delhi Capitals. From there, the momentum came back,” he continued.

The right-hander delivered on his promise in emphatic fashion, smashing an unbeaten 115 off 56 balls against Delhi Capitals in Chennai. His knock, which featured 15 fours and four sixes, came at a blistering strike rate of 205.35 and marked the beginning of a successful run with the bat.

Samson went on to enjoy an impressive IPL 2026 campaign after overcoming his slow start. In 14 innings, the right-hander amassed 477 runs at an average of 43.36 and an outstanding strike rate of 165.63, playing a key role in Chennai Super Kings’ batting lineup.

Sydney Sixers Women have announced the appointment of Peter Clarke as their new head coach ahead of the 2026-27 Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL). This completes the coaching merry-go-round at the Sydney-based franchise, which began a few months back when they appointed James Hopes as the men’s coach.

However, Hopes jumped ship to Queensland and the Brisbane Heat, which resulted in the Sixers appointing their women’s head coach, Matthew Mott, in charge of the men’s side. With the women’s role now remaining vacant, the Sydney Sixers have filled the seat with Mott’s assistant, Clarke. 

Clarke has had an unusual route to coaching compared to his other counterparts. He served as a psychologist for the Australian Women’s team for eight years before taking over the coaching role at the University of Queensland. He later joined Cricket New South Wales (NSW) in 2025 as women’s coach, guiding them to the WNCL final last time around. 

“It’s an honour to have the opportunity to take on this role, and I’m both humbled and grateful for the trust the club has placed in me. The Sixers are a storied franchise in the WBBL, and a club with a legacy of phenomenal players and team success. Most importantly, the people at the Sixers are high character and interested in being the best we can be – players and staff alike. That’s what excites me the most, being a part of a group of people who are continuously striving to be great,” Peter Clarke was quoted as saying on Cricinfo. 

The Sydney Sixers Women finished second in the points table during the previous edition of the Women’s Big Bash, accumulating 13 points from 10 matches. However, they suffered defeat at the hands of the Perth Scorchers Women in the Challenger.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to build relationships with players and staff at the Sixers from other roles I’ve served within Australian cricket, as well as serving as an assistant coach with the club last season, and I’m looking forward to continuing to build on those connections as we strive for the ultimate success as a team. Success isn’t something that’s given, it’s something that’s earned. And we’re keen to put in the work to earn it. We have the requisite talent, character and desire for continuous improvement in this group to succeed, and we’re committed to representing our members and fans in a way they can be proud of. I’m excited by the journey ahead of us and the opportunity to be a part of creating an environment that allows us to our full potential,” he added.