England skipper Root has said he could miss the series opener believes the side would still be in good hands, with vice-captain Stokes well-equipped to take the reins.
Pakistan overcame belligerent resistance from England's tail-enders to win the second Test by 178 runs on Monday after bowling out the visitors for 312 with 6.3 overs remaining on the final day.
England Lions finished the opening day of the three-day tour match on a commanding 379 for 8 against India at Chelmsford on Friday.
Factbox on the five-Test Ashes series between England and Australia
Ricky Ponting has offered technical advice to Australia's batters Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head to counter England's bowling attack ahead of the second Ashes Test.
England bowled India out for 184 on Sunday to win the fourth Test by 60 runs and wrap up the series with a match to spare.
Pink balls are used in day-night Test cricket with teams playing under floodlights. While some former players advocate the use of the pink ball full time, England pacer Stuart Broad says it will be unfair to batsmen.
He felt Australia will get better as the series progresses.
Former England cricket captain and 1981 Ashes hero Bob Willis has died aged 70 after a short illness.
Jonathan Trott followed Graeme Swann, Kevin Pietersen and Matt Prior into the international wilderness on Monday to leave England desperately short of experience ahead of this year's Ashes series against Australia.
Moeen Ali made a superb century to lift England to 328 all out after Pakistan had taken four early wickets on the first day of the final Test at The Oval on Thursday.
Kevin Pietersen's test future may be in doubt but the mercurial batsman was hailed as a "million pound asset" when named in England's provisional 30-member squad for this year's Twenty20 World Cup in Bangladesh on Wednesday.
Former England wicketkeeper Chris Read was unbeaten on 120 as England 'A' scored 530 for 9 in their first innings against Pakistan.
As the prestigious Ashes gets underway, here's a look at the milestones that can be achieved.
The opening match of the series begins in Brisbane on December 8, with Australia playing their first Test since losing to India in January.
The Baggy Green is synonymous with the Australian cricket team's Test cap and ICC also took it sportingly and apologised with a smile
Australia great Ian Chappell says Virat Kohli is an exceptional captain who has carried the Indian team to a higher level, whereas England's Joe Root is a "fine batter but poor captain".
England made a bright start to their second Test against Pakistan at Headingley on Friday, after being hammered at Lord's last week, with Stuart Broad taking two early wickets and the visitors reduced to 68-4 at lunchtime.
A "distraught" James Anderson apologised to his England team mates after pulling up injured on day one of the opening Ashes Test against Australia, fellow quick Stuart Broad revealed.
England spin bowler Graeme Swann has admitted that some of the Ashes winning heroes may have urinated on The Oval pitch during late night celebrations to 'answer a call of nature' even as a regretful ECB has decided against taking any public action.
Images from Day 4 of the fourth Ashes Test, at Old Trafford, Manchester.
Ben Stokes will play as a batsman only after injuring his shoulder at Old Trafford.
India lost the second Test by an innings and 159 runs on Day 4 at Lord's as a dominant England took a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
Westley has enjoyed a prolific season for Essex in the CountyChampionship, scoring 478 runs, including two centuries, at an average of 53.11.
Ben Stokes has been ruled out of the two matches at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton for family reasons and the England and Wales Cricket Board said he would shortly fly to New Zealand, the country of his birth.
Opening batsman David Warner enjoyed a gift-wrapped century after being reprieved on 99 as Australia endured a meandering first day of the Boxing Day Test against England on Tuesday.
Yuvraj said his feat was revenge for the five plundered by England's Dimitri Mascarenhas off his bowling at The Oval.
Yuvraj belted England fast bowler Stuart Broad for 36 runs in an over to become the first player to achieve the mark in the shortest form of cricket.
England moved relentlessly towards a series-levelling victory over Pakistan on a rain-disrupted third day of the second test in Manchester on Sunday. The hosts bowled out the Pakistanis for 198 before declining to enforce the follow-on, ending the day on 98 for one to lead by a commanding 489 runs with two days remaining at Old Trafford.
South Africa skittled England out for 149 on Friday to win the first Test by an innings and 12 runs inside three days at Lord's and go 1-0 up in the three-match series.
Former wicketkeeper Ian Healy predicted a 2-1 win for India in the four-Test series against Australia, starting in Nagpur on February 9, provided the hosts don't prepare "unreasonable wickets".
A serious remark made by Shoaib Akthar questioning Jofra Archer's sportsmanship over the bouncer incident in the second Ashes Test was met with a hilarious tweet by former Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh on Monday.
India's susceptibility to quality swing bowling once again came to the fore as they struggled to reach 174 for six after England's tail wagged considerably to give the hosts an upperhand on the second day of the fifth and final cricket Test, in London, on Saturday.
On May 21, England's pace duo of Chris Woakes and Stuart Broad were among the first cricketers to return to individual training after the Coronavirus hiatus.
England all-rounder Ben Stokes will spend Tuesday at the bedside of his father Ged, who is in a critical condition in hospital in Johannesburg. The England and Wales Cricket Board said Ged Stokes, a former New Zealand rugby league player, had suffered a "serious illness" on Monday.
Stoinis reached his half-century in just 17 balls and finished with an 18-ball 59* much to the delight of the Australian fans at home in this knock decorated by four boundaries and six sixes
A fiery spell from captain Ben Stokes dragged England back into the match but South Africa remained the happier side as they reached 289/7 at the close on the second day of the first Test at Lord's on Thursday.
Smith (900 points) is placed second behind New Zealand captain Kane Williamson (919).
Australia secured a consolation victory in the final Test by an innings and 46 runs on Sunday before England captain Alastair Cook lifted the Ashes urn at the end of a dramatic and fluctuating series.
IMAGES from Day 2 of the 2nd Test between England and New Zealand played at Trent Bridge in Nottingham on Saturday.
