Joe Root Hits Back at Pakistan ‘No Fight’ Claims

Joe Root has pushed back strongly against claims that Pakistan have shown “no fight” in their Test series against England, calling the accusation disrespectful to both teams. With England already 2-0 up and heading into the third Test at Edgbaston, the pressure around the series has only intensified.

Pakistan have struggled to stay competitive in the first two matches, but Root insisted the storyline is too simplistic. England have been dominant, yes, but the captain said that should not be used as an excuse to dismiss Pakistan’s efforts entirely.

Root rejects the narrative around Pakistan

Speaking at his pre-match press conference in Birmingham on Tuesday, Root was asked what it was like to face a side that had offered “no fight” in the series. His response was immediate and firm.

“I think that’s a bit disrespectful to both Pakistan as a team and to us as a team,” Root said. “I don’t think we’ve allowed them to get into games because of how well we’ve played as well and how quickly we’ve read the situations and the surfaces that we’ve had.”

The England captain made clear that the results do not tell the full story. While Pakistan have been underpowered in key moments, Root argued that England’s intensity and execution have played a major role in the one-sided scorelines.

England’s control has been decisive

England crushed Pakistan by an innings and 103 runs at Headingley before backing that up with a 194-run win at Lord’s. Those margins reflect complete command, with England’s revived pace attack putting Pakistan under relentless pressure.

In four innings this series, Pakistan have yet to pass 200, a statistic that underlines their difficulties against a new-look England attack featuring Ollie Robinson, Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue and Gus Atkinson. The hosts have repeatedly struck early, then kept tightening the screws as the innings progressed.

Still, Root said it would be wrong to frame the contest as one team being brilliant and the other being worthless. “I think it’s very easy to say one team is excellent and one team is poor. Normally it’s somewhere in the middle,” he said.

“If one team has been outstanding, then the other team can’t have been poor and vice versa. I think it’s important to live in that middle area somewhere and understand that that’s not how it is.”

Pakistan face a major reset

The third Test arrives amid significant turmoil for Pakistan. After the second Test, the Pakistan Cricket Board took the unusual step of sending seven players home and removing Test coach Sarfaraz Ahmed from his role. White-ball head coach Mike Hesson has been brought in to oversee the final match of the series.

Seven players have now been added to the touring squad, including five who are yet to make their Test debuts. That leaves Pakistan with a heavily reshuffled setup entering the finale, and little margin for error against a confident England side.

The turmoil has led to harsh assessments back home and abroad, with the team labelled one of Pakistan’s weakest Test outfits in decades. But Root said the final Test should still be treated as a serious challenge, not a foregone conclusion.

“There’s a very talented group of players in that dressing room and you’ve got to be ready for it,” Root said.

That warning is typical of a captain who knows how quickly Test cricket can shift. Even with England in total control so far, Root stressed that the third match is “a completely different proposition” and that his side must be prepared for a response.

Edgbaston offers a fresh start

For England, the focus now is not just on winning but on maintaining intensity. A 3-0 sweep would round off a commanding series and further strengthen the momentum behind the team’s aggressive new-look approach.

For Pakistan, the task is far more immediate: regain belief, absorb pressure and show that the series can still produce a competitive finish. With a reshaped squad and a new coaching voice in place, the visitors will hope Edgbaston offers at least a reset, if not a turnaround.

Root’s comments also serve as a reminder that even lopsided series can be reduced to simplistic headlines. In his view, the reality is more nuanced: England have been superb, Pakistan have been overwhelmed, and the final Test still deserves full attention.

Whether Pakistan can answer that challenge remains the big question. What is certain is that England will not be taking the finale lightly, and Root has made it clear that dismissing the opposition would be a mistake.