There has been a large dollop of soul searching in English cricket of late following a winless winter on the road in Australia and New Zealand. After one step forward last summer against South Africa and West Indies, the winter was two, perhaps three, steps back for England. Losing both series, the familiar nature of the side's deficiencies and a distinct lack of improvement away from home during the last four overseas tours have raised many questions about the English game.
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Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes will form England's middle-order against Pakistan. © Getty
Is the County system structured in such a way that it helps prepare England players for overseas conditions? Is the ECB's expensive and much vaunted International Pathway fit for purpose? Are the pitches in England to blame? Is Trevor Bayliss the right man to coach England's Test team? And just where are the high quality spinners and 90mph bowlers?
As they have for a while, however, the answers to England's travel woes seemingly remain elusive.
These aren't new questions, of course. The very same ones, or versions of them at least, have been trotted out so often when England have struggled in the Test arena since time immemorial. But given England's poor winter and the stagnation - regression, even - in the Test team over the past two years, the start of the Test summer at Lord's on Thursday, where Root's men host Pakistan in the first of two matches, looms as vitally important.
Despite England's hapless performances during the Ashes and then in two matches in New Zealand, they will start as clear favourites against a Pakistan team who are far less experienced than the one in 2016 which drew a four Test series 2-2. After all, in early season conditions at home, England are a match for any side in the world. "Let's be honest, England at home are a very good Test match side," former England captain Nasser Hussain tells Cricbuzz.
"You only have to look at their record at home. Last summer under Root they beat a good South African side and West Indies as well so England's problem of late has been away from home. But after what happened in the winter, and in a newish captain in Joe Root and a new National Selector in Ed Smith, then they'll want to start well."
Smith's appointment has been the major change since the winter's disappointments. In his first squad, he boldly
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