Root pleased with England's response to 'unusual summer'

England have responded excellently to an “unusual summer” marked by a captaincy change, a new coach and off-field incidents, Test captain Joe Root said after ​his side completed a 3-0 series shutout of Pakistan.

The 35-year-old Root, the ‌second-highest run-scorer in Test cricket history, returned as England Test captain after all-rounder Ben Stokes retired from international cricket.

Root led England in a record 64 Tests between 2017 and 2022, winning ​27 of them.

Former New Zealand batter Stephen Fleming was appointed head ​coach in July following the sacking of compatriot Brendon McCullum after a ⁠four-year stint.

The build-up to the second Test against Pakistan was overshadowed by controversy surrounding ​fast bowler Brydon Carse, who was dropped from the England squad following an incident ​outside a nightclub in Derby.

Despite the distractions, England completed the sweep on Saturday, sealing an eight-wicket victory in the third and final Test at Edgbaston.

“There’s been a lot of chaos ​around this series before a ball was bowled,” Root said at a press ​conference. “At the start of the series, we wanted 3-0 and we’ve been clinical enough to ‌do ⁠that.

“It’s been a very unusual summer, hasn’t it? That’s probably a better way of putting 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 are fair. But ultimately, the thing that I care ​about, and that’s most important, is what happens from ​that. And ⁠I think the way that we’ve responded to that has been excellent.

“And the fact that there’s now clarity in what is expected of the group moving forward is ⁠quite ​evident and we build on that now.”

England next ​host Sri Lanka in a three-match Twenty20 series beginning in Southampton on Tuesday before facing them ​in three One-Day Internationals.