For Root, the innings victory sealed inside three days against Pakistan was the ideal start to his second spell as captain.
It also extended England’s run of wins at Headingley, which began in 2018. Their longest winning streak at another ground is six at Chester-le-Street.
The decision for Headingley and Old Trafford to miss out on the 2027 Ashes roster was announced in 2023.
But the match allocation has once again come into focus after the schedule for next year’s series was confirmed in July.
Nottingham’s Trent Bridge will be the most northerly ground to host a men’s Ashes Test, with Southampton given an England-Australia Test for the first time. Headingley will instead host a women’s Ashes Test.
Headingley staged a men’s Ashes Test in 2019 and 2023, both matches England won. The 2019 win, inspired by Stokes, was one of the most legendary contests in Ashes history, ranking alongside Ian Botham’s heroics of 1981 on the same ground.
Overall, England’s record of nine home Ashes wins in Leeds is bettered only by their 17 at The Oval, and The Oval has hosted 36 Ashes Tests compared to Headingley’s 26.
“I would love to play as many games as possible here,” said Root. “It’s a great Test-match venue, a surface that provides brilliant Test cricket, and one we’ve had quite a lot of success on recently.
“It’s a shame we don’t get to play here next year, but I’m sure we will see many, many more brilliant Test matches here.”
Headingley will next host a men’s Ashes Test in 2031, from when the England and Wales Cricket Board has said it will keep at least one Test in Leeds or Manchester in the allocation for every home Ashes series. Southampton will get a Test in alternate men’s home Ashes.
