England’s thrashing of Pakistan fuels debate over Headingley’s Ashes exclusion

England dismissed Pakistan by an innings and 103 runs inside three days at Headingley on Friday, marking their seventh consecutive Test victory at the ground.

New captain, new momentum

The win came in Root's second stint as England Test captain, after he took over from former skipper Stokes following the latter's surprise retirement. The emphatic performance gave England a 1‑0 lead in a three‑match series.

Ashes venue controversy

After the victory, Root expressed disappointment that the historic Yorkshire ground will not host a men’s Ashes Test in 2027. "It's a great Test match venue and a surface that provides brilliant Test cricket," he said.

"We've had quite a lot of success on it recently, so it's a shame we don't get to play here next year. I'm sure we will see many, many more brilliant Test matches here," Root added.

Stokes echoed the sentiment on social media, writing that "shame is an understatement, tbh. Shambolic would be more appropriate. Great win though." He had previously described himself as "devastated" when the 2023 schedule first omitted northern England from the men's Ashes calendar.

The 2027 series will instead travel to the Rose Bowl near Southampton for the first time, with Trent Bridge, Lord's, Edgbaston and The Oval hosting the remaining four matches. Headingley will still stage a one‑off women's Ashes Test.

Both players and fans hope the criticism will prompt a review of future venue allocations, ensuring historic grounds like Headingley remain central to England’s cricketing showcase.