How England are shaping up for big year of Test cricket

Sky Sports Cricket's pundits assess who stays and who goes with England's batting and bowling lineups yet to be decided ahead of a big 12 months; England tour South Africa before the 2027 Ashes; watch England vs Sri Lanka in a T20I on Tuesday live on Sky Sports

England's 3-0 series whitewash of Pakistan brings to an end a tumultuous summer of Test cricket, and in turn begins a 12-month period that includes a daunting tour of South Africa and the 2027 Ashes.

An eventful two months in English cricket has seen a the appointment of a new Test captain and head coach in Joe Root and Stephen Fleming amid a plethora of off-field issues that included multiple incidents involving alcohol and the retirement of previous captain Ben Stokes.

England's comprehensive series victory may have restored faith in a team who had previously lost seven of their last 10 Tests, but multiple questions relating to team personnel and leadership remain unanswered.

Here, the Sky Sports pundits assess the key dilemmas facing Root and Fleming...

One of the most pressing issues facing England's selectors is that of the last remaining spot in an otherwise entrenched batting line-up.

Opener Emilio Gay, all-rounder Dan Lawrence, and wicketkeepers Jordan Cox and Jamie Smith have all featured in at least three of the summer's six Tests, but one of those four will have to drop out to facilitate the return of highly-rated Jacob Bethell, who has primarily featured as a No 3 for England.

Bethell has been tipped to open the batting in place of Gay - who has struggled after notching three half-centuries in six Tests this summer - while Cox has impressed both with the bat and in two days with the gloves after he replaced the injured Smith, notching a half-century in each of the three Tests against Pakistan.

"I would probably bring Bethell straight back in at three," Nasser Hussain said on the Sky Sports Cricket podcast. "You can't produce that hundred at Sydney the way he did and not have a Test match future.

"It's then Cox who looks vulnerable, or Gay - but I'm old school and think that opener is a specialist position.

"The two areas of English cricket we're looking for, a front-line spinner and opener.

"Gay has made a decent start, he looks like he could have a future but we're not certain. I would stick with him.

"The other option is you give Cox the gloves and axe Jamie Smith, but I also wouldn't do that. He's also done well with the gloves and got some runs."

England seamer Stuart Broad heaped on the praise for Jordan Cox after his composed 59no led England to victory in the third Test against Pakistan, adding: "I think Cox has done enough in this series to deserve a spot in the team.