As England's men disperse for the Hundred and prepare to wear fresh colours while building ties with fresh sponsors and repeating the term exciting at every turn the leadership group above them might be excused for breathing easier.

Yet not all runs smoothly ahead of their month-long break. Test cricket remains the priority here topping every age group and demographic according to Richard Gould the England and Wales Cricket Board chief executive during his Ashes assessment in March and the opening half of the campaign still counts as something of a mess.

The 2-1 loss to New Zealand prompted Brendon McCullum's removal from half his duties as head coach while an exhausted Ben Stokes stepped away into retirement and was recently spotted turning out for Durham against Northumberland before a small crowd at Allendale Cricket Club. Three Tests after Gould and Rob Key declared the current setup with added discipline would suffice the side now lacks both coach and captain.

Still the T20 and ODI triumphs over an India side ranked number one in both formats deserve recognition. McCullum's continued role with the limited-overs sides drew mixed reactions yet over the past twelve months he and Harry Brook appear to have forged an effective partnership.

India opted to refresh their world champion T20 lineup and suffered a one-sided 4-0 defeat that revealed an overcorrection. England's 2-1 success in the fifty-over contests however revealed real resolve after falling behind with the victories in Cardiff and at Lord's both hard earned though under very different conditions.

Cardiff produced a low-scoring battle that leaned on Joe Root's lasting quality while Lord's delivered a high-scoring contest on an unusually true surface. That England prevailed in each even with Jasprit Bumrah missing the decider highlighted the range they have developed.

Though England trail ahead of the 2027 World Cup following years of limited focus on fifty-over cricket Brook guides a side that covers the bases. His batting order mixes touch players power hitters and left-right pairings. At Lord's he also deployed eight varied bowling choices including three quicks wrist spin a left-arm option two capable off-spinners and Jacob Bethell turning the ball the opposite way.

Brook's deployment of Bethell reflects the rapport built with McCullum after seeking mid-innings guidance and receiving the suggestion of a spinner driving into the pitch in the style of Ravindra Jadeja. The resulting dismissal of Rohit Sharma on 138 proved decisive.

Here the situation grows complicated and returns to the awkward position England occupies. While white-ball success has partly eased frustration over the Test side's further decline it risks entrenching a separation that could prove difficult to reconcile once the Test coach and captain posts are filled.

At present England appear to have only two realistic captaincy options. One is Root who would accept out of obligation rather than enthusiasm and the other is Brook himself. Neither feels perfect and both would require firm tactical and leadership support from the incoming coach Root because he lacked it previously and Brook because the role would be entirely new.

In an ideal scenario Stokes would have continued until the 2027 Ashes allowing Brook more time to learn as vice-captain before taking over after the World Cup. Reality differs and despite questions around his readiness on and off the field the forward choice remains Brook.

Beyond the load a three-format captaincy would place on Brook the question remains whether operating under two separate coaches can function. The coach guiding Brook through his early Test tenure must align closely with McCullum to avoid conflicting approaches.

Andy Flower the world's leading coach declined the vacancy last week noting conflicts with his two franchise commitments. While those commitments likely clash both logistically and in message one suspects he also recognised these constraints.

Despite the appeal of the post candidates will note that no one except Stokes the player every coach would want has departed. The individual tasked with extinguishing the fire still burning from the failed Ashes campaign must therefore integrate with those who helped create it.

This loops back to the March tour review whose outcome was to retain the existing group appoint Marcus North as a selector not head selector add extra coaching support at training and acknowledge county cricket through quarterly meetings plus the selection of in-form Emilio Gay. Ollie Robinson also returned for a single Test.

Had more substantial shifts occurred then including an offer to Flower with a cleaner slate Stokes might have felt renewed at the summer's start instead of disheartened by an environment he no longer trusted.

Perhaps Gould and Key will identify the right person to make this dual approach succeed. As positive as the two white-ball series results were and as much as the coming month centres on light disposable cricket they cannot risk another error in the format still ranked number one.