Joe Root's second tenure as England Test cricket captain begins against Pakistan with no Ben Stokes and victories vital

Joe Root begins his second stint as England Test cricket captain as England face Pakistan in a three-Test series, with the first ball scheduled for Wednesday at 11am live on Sky Sports. The series marks the start of the post-Ben Stokes era, with Stokes absent and replaced in the XI by Dan Lawrence. Root plans to blend the aggressive 'Bazball' approach with greater nuance as England look for vital victories in the series.