For all that Joe Root was playing his 167th Test match for England, and had led the side on 65 previous occasions, there will surely have been a few butterflies as he pulled on the blazer and walked out for the toss on his home ground. Root was resuming what he once described as an “unhealthy relationship” with the captaincy, while a supposedly one-off return to the job earlier this summer ended in a crushing defeat to New Zealand. Aged 35, England’s premier batter could easily have said a polite “no thank you” when the vacancy came around again.
Yet Root appears to be driven by something more than just duty; a sense of unfinished personal business, perhaps. And if there were any nerves or second thoughts, they surely evaporated once Ollie Robinson struck with the first ball of the series to set in motion a one-sided opening day against Pakistan. By stumps the match had progressed significantly.
Robinson went on to claim his fifth five-wicket haul in Test cricket with a masterful display of wobble seam, while Josh Tongue picked up his fourth to share all 10. And in response to Pakistan’s 171 all out in 48.1 overs, England closed on 112 for two from 25, with Root 37 not out. Plenty went for Root, it must be said, not least the coin falling his way to claim the best of conditions.
The last seven Tests here have been won by the side bowling first and, while not as quick as some in recent years, the pitch was offering movement for any seamer who could lock in on the Headingley length. Doing so is Robinson’s forte, of course. And after trapping Azan Awais lbw from around the wicket with his opening delivery – the first time a Test series in England has started with a wicket – Root’s metronome rarely missed a beat.
As a result, the initial rustiness of Jofra Archer and Gus Atkinson was scarcely felt. One of Robinson’s victims here was a touch unfortunate, with Saud Shakeel too late in reviewing an lbw shown to be going over the stumps. But figures of five for 51 from 18 overs were no less deserved, while an afternoon spell of eight overs, two for 17, was also a positive as regards his fitness and old-ball prowess.
That Pakistan did not fold entirely owed much to Abdullah Shafique, who emerged at six for two in the fifth over – Shan Masood plumb lbw to Robinson – and top-scored with 61. But for all that he looked assured, Shafique was eventually made claustrophobic by Jamie Smith’s presence up at the stumps – a notable move by Root – and then powerless as Robinson jagged one through the gate. Imam-ul-Haq, one of four Pakistan players to have played for Yorkshire, was probably the batter left with the greatest sense of regret on the day.
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