Joe Root to make Yorkshire return in County Championship

Joe Root, England's Test captain, is set to make his long-awaited return to red-ball cricket for Yorkshire in the County Championship. Root, who last played for his county in May 2022, will line up against Gloucestershire in the second round of the competition.

Root's return is a major boost for Yorkshire, who are aiming to return to Division One after suffering relegation in 2022. The 33-year-old is one of the most experienced and successful batsmen in the world, and his presence in the team will be a huge asset.

Root's last appearance for Yorkshire came in a T20 Blast match in June 2022. He has since played in the Hundred for Trent Rockets and for England in the Ashes and India series.

Root's return to Yorkshire will also be a welcome boost for England, who have a busy summer ahead of them. England will host West Indies and Sri Lanka for three-Test series, and will then travel to Pakistan and New Zealand before the end of the year.

Root will be hoping to use the next month to tune up ahead of a bumper six months. He will be looking to regain his form after a disappointing tour of India, during which he scored 320 runs at 35.55.

Yorkshire will be hoping to make the most of the availability of both Root and Harry Brook, who returned to action last week after missing the opening fixture against Leicestershire. Brook, who had not played since England's white-ball tour of the West Indies in December, returned to action with a crisp unbeaten 100 off just 69 deliveries.

Brook's last fixture will be against Glamorgan at home, starting May 3, before taking a break ahead of England's T20 series against Pakistan that leads into the T20 World Cup.

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