'We're not Brendon and Ben' - Trescothick praises Root's calm leadership
England's interim coach Marcus Trescothick said Joe Root's calm influence helped steady the Test side after a turbulent period, following a dominant win over Pakistan in Root's first match back as captain. He stressed the team is building its own identity rather than copying the previous Stokes-McCullum regime.
England's interim cricket coach Marcus Trescothick has praised Joe Root's calming presence following his return as Test captain, which began with a commanding innings-and-103-run victory over Pakistan at Headingley.
The win came after a difficult stretch for England cricket, including an Ashes series defeat to Australia, unspecified off-field issues, Ben Stokes stepping down as captain, and the dismissal of coach Brendon McCullum.
Trescothick, who served as an assistant coach under Stokes and McCullum, said England aims to retain the best elements of the previous setup while forging its own identity. "We're very much the style of what we want to do," he said, noting that Root communicates and approaches the game differently than Stokes did, favouring clearer, simpler plans for both bowling strategy and man-management.
England took a wicket with the very first ball of the match and went on to dominate Pakistan across two and a half rain-interrupted days. Trescothick said the team played in a more measured way than under the highly aggressive Stokes-McCullum era, though they still scored at a brisk rate of 4.55 runs per over, against a weakened Pakistan side.
Balancing caution and intent
Trescothick said the squad remains focused on applying pressure as the most effective route to dominance, while still valuing quick scoring, particularly with the new ball.
New Zealander Stephen Fleming has been named as McCullum's permanent successor but will not officially take over until England's winter tour of South Africa, leaving Trescothick in interim charge. Fleming reportedly stayed in daily contact with Root and Trescothick during the Pakistan Test, encouraging them to lead the group their own way while sharing some guidance on his intended coaching style.
Trescothick, who has worked with England as a batting and assistant coach since 2021, could shift to a white-ball-only role once Fleming takes over, as former Australia coach Mike Hussey has reportedly been approached to become batting coach. Trescothick said he would welcome staying involved across all formats but acknowledged the decision is not his to make.
