Cricket’s musical chairs continues. Joe Root is back on his throne. The ICC released its latest Test batting rankings on June 24, 2026, and to the surprise of absolutely nobody, England’s veteran run-machine has reclaimed the top spot. He knocked his own teammate, Harry Brook, off the perch. Brook’s reign lasted all of two weeks after he briefly snatched the crown on June 10. For Root, this is his twelfth stint at the summit. He just can’t stay away.
He earned it the hard way. England got absolutely hammered at The Oval, losing to New Zealand by a humiliating 253 runs. Yet, Root’s individual resistance—grinding out scores of 46 and 77—was enough to push him past both Brook and Australia’s Travis Head. It is a classic case of individual brilliance masking collective failure. Brook’s brief moment in the sun is over, and the old guard is back in charge.
Now comes the real test. The three-match series is deadlocked at 1-1. The decider starts June 25 at Trent Bridge. England took the opener at Lord’s by 115 runs, but New Zealand roared back at The Oval. Momentum is a fickle thing, and right now, the Kiwis have all of it.
England has a Matt Henry problem. The Kiwi pace spearhead humiliated them at The Oval, walking away with 11 wickets, including a devastating second-inning haul of 6/29. If that wasn’t enough, England’s brain trust managed to get docked 12 World Test Championship points and fined half their match fees for a sluggish over-rate. It is a self-inflicted wound in a series that is rapidly slipping through their fingers. Root might be number one, but his team is a mess.
