Root: 'It would be nice to have a choice' over Ashes venues as England leave Headingley until 2029

England eased to a huge win against Pakistan inside three days in the first Test at Headingley on day three, and Joe Root said "it would be nice to have a choice" over the venues where his England team play as they leave Headingley until 2029.

The victory was England's seventh consecutive win in Leeds, their longest current winning streak at any ground in the world, a run that began with an innings and 55-run triumph over Pakistan in 2018. Their longest winning streak at another venue is six at Chester-le-Street. The decision for Headingley and Old Trafford to miss out on the 2027 men's Ashes roster was announced in 2023, and after the Ashes schedule was confirmed in July Nottingham's Trent Bridge will be the most northerly men's Ashes host while Southampton has been given an England-Australia Test for the first time; Headingley will instead stage a women's Ashes Test.

"Obviously this is a slightly different system here and a different way that things are done," said Yorkshire batter Root. "I think I should probably stay in my lane and understand that it's someone else's job to sort out. As a player, you want to play at the grounds you have most success at as a team, clearly."

Root said the innings victory sealed inside three days against Pakistan was the ideal start to his second spell as captain and that it extended England's sequence of wins at Headingley. "It's one that we generally do well at and I love playing here - as the Yorkshireman I have to say that from birth, so I'm glad it's the case," he added.

Headingley has hosted memorable men's Ashes Tests in recent years, staging matches in 2019 and 2023 that England won, with the 2019 victory inspired by Ben Stokes described in the article as ranking alongside Ian Botham's heroics of 1981 on the same ground. England have recorded nine home Ashes wins in Leeds, a total only exceeded by their 17 at The Oval; The Oval has hosted 36 Ashes Tests compared to Headingley's 26.

Root looks set to lead England into next year's Ashes after returning to the captaincy; the 35-year-old resumed a role he gave up four years earlier following the retirement of Ben Stokes. He will form a new-look leadership team with Stephen Fleming, who has replaced Brendon McCullum as Test coach, though Fleming is not yet in post and Marcus Trescothick is acting as interim coach for the Pakistan series.

Fleming was due to arrive in the UK in September and Root said the pair had been in contact throughout the Headingley win: "Every day. I think he's kept tabs on things," said Root. "It's just been great to have him on the end of the phone. I can speak to him as much or as little as I like, and it's great that he's very invested already in what we're trying to achieve. There's been constant communication with me and Marcus as well."

England are yet to confirm the make-up of their backroom team now Fleming and McCullum are sharing head coach responsibilities; Trescothick, who was an assistant to McCullum when the New Zealander was in charge of both the Test and white-ball teams, said he would "love" to continue working with the Test team. "I've a huge amount of respect for Stephen and what he's done in the game," Trescothick told Test Match Special. "He was a fantastic captain and leader and has done a brilliant job doing what he's done as a coach. I'd love to carry on."

Headingley will next host a men's Ashes Test in 2031, and England and Wales Cricket has said it will keep at least one Test in Leeds or Manchester in the allocation for every home Ashes series, with Southampton to receive a Test in alternate men's home Ashes.