The China Mail - England back on track after 'chaos', says Root

Root, who previously served as skipper for five years before standing down in 2022, returned to the role following the dramatic international retirement of Ben Stokes in June.

Stokes announced his shock departure during the Trent Bridge decider against New Zealand, having been stood down from the previous match following a disciplinary probe into a nightclub trip with teammate Gus Atkinson.

England lost the series 2-1 and head coach Brendon McCullum was subsequently stripped of his red-ball responsibilities.

But Root's return, in concert with interim head coach Marcus Trescothick, has brought a hat-trick of comfortable wins over Pakistan at Headingley, Lord's and now Edgbaston, steadying the ship ahead of Stephen Fleming's arrival as McCullum's long-term successor.

The New Zealander is expected to arrive in the coming days and Root believes he will find a team on an even keel.

"There's been a lot of chaos around this series before a ball was bowled," the skipper said after hitting an unbeaten 62 in Saturday's eight-wicket win at Edgbaston.

"I think the way we've handled it on and off the field, the way everyone understands what is expected of them, both as a player and how we want to carry ourselves, is a really good thing.

"It's been a very unusual summer, hasn't it? There's been a lot of different things happen. We had a resignation mid-series, there has been a few off-field incidents and we've got a new coach.

"Whether you call it chaos, whether you call it unusual, whether you call it unsettling, all of those are fair.

"But ultimately, the thing that I care about and the most important thing is what happens from that. I think the way that we've responded to that has been excellent."

England have been accused of a lack of professionalism following several high-profile off-field incidents both overseas and at home.

The build-up to the second Test against Pakistan was overshadowed by an incident involving bowler Brydon Carse outside a nightclub. He was removed from the squad and has not been picked since.

Root said it would take time to change the team environment.

"When you're trying to build a culture it doesn't happen overnight and it doesn't happen over the course of three or four weeks," said the Yorkshireman.

"It's going to take time to keep working at that, living it day in and day out, and that's something we'll continue to keep working at. We've made some really good strides in the right direction."

R.Lin--ThChM