Archive · 6 Aug 2026
England selector explains why Root got Test captaincy over Brook
England's Test cricket team needed a new captain because Ben Stokes stopped playing international cricket.
The team selectors chose Joe Root to be captain again.
They did not pick Harry Brook, who is the captain of the one-day and Twenty20 teams.
The selectors thought being captain of all three teams would be too much for Harry.
Harry is already doing a great job leading the white-ball teams.
He is focused on the World Cup next year.
England's Twenty20 team became the number one team in the world this summer.
Joe Root has lots of experience, and he captained England in 64 Test matches, which is a record.
The selectors say Harry could become Test captain in the future.
England national selector Marcus North said Joe Root was handed the Test captaincy after Ben Stokes' exit from international cricket.
Selectors chose Root over Harry Brook to avoid burdening Brook with the pressure of captaining all three formats.
Brook, 27, leads England's ODI and T20I sides, and the T20 team reached the world No. 1 ranking this summer.
North said Brook remains a future Test captain candidate and praised his development working with Brendan McCullum.
Root, 35, previously captained England in a record 64 Tests with 28 wins before stepping down in April 2022.
- Who
- England national selector Marcus North; Joe Root (35) selected as Test captain over Harry Brook (27) after Ben Stokes' exit.
- What
- England handed the Test captaincy back to Joe Root rather than promoting white-ball captain Harry Brook.
- When
- Ben Stokes exited international cricket; North explained the decision to media on Thursday.
- Where
- England men's national cricket team.
- Why
- Selectors did not want to burden Brook with all-format captaincy while he prepares for next year's World Cup.
- Test captain
- Joe Root
- White-ball captain
- Harry Brook (ODI and T20I)
- Reason for choice
- Avoid all-format captaincy burden on Brook
- Context
- Ben Stokes' exit from international cricket
- Root's previous tenure
- 64 Tests, 28 wins, 2017-2022
- Selector
- Marcus North
- World Cup focus
- White-ball World Cup at the end of next year