On paper, you could not have scripted a better ending to the summer for the England cricket team. Alastair Cook capped off an iconic career with a typically defiant century, ending as he began with a ton against India and a stint under the helmet at short leg. James Anderson became the most prolific seam bowler in the history of the sport by taking the final wicket of the summer and doing so in a way that all fast bowlers dream about — by knocking the middle stump out of the ground.

Anderson and Cook provided the cherries, but the cake seems to have plenty of goodness waiting within it as well. Joe Root ended the season with a fluent century, putting to bed worries about form and conversion rates. Jos Buttler was an unquestioned success in the test team, topping England’s run charts and hitting a maiden ton along the way. Adil Rashid proved his recall wasn’t a mistake by bowling a flying Indian opener with what will likely be referred to as the ‘ball of the century’. Then there was Sam Curran’s continued maturing, Moeen Ali’s return, Chris Woakes at Lords and more. On paper, all is well with England’s test team.

But when the dust clears and the hangovers subside, fans, players and selectors alike will come to realise that not a single question has been answered over the last four months. Yes, England have won five of the seven test matches and yes, England have only lost one out of their last 11 home series, but this is a side full of issues and glaring problems. Things might have seemed well as the team rallied around Anderson and Cook at The Oval, but being drunk on glory will only lead to a hungover realisation that all is not well.

England started the season looking for someone to stand up and be counted at the top of the order. What was needed was one opener, what is now needed is two. Mark Stoneman was jettisoned after the first test of the summer and replaced by Keaton Jennings, who was done nothing in the six matches since. Jennings’ most recent dismissals have been difficult to watch, a lost mind failing to do the basic things an opening batsman must. If Cook were not retiring, Jennings would almost certainly be dropped. As it is, he will likely find himself as the senior partner alongside another new face.

When Joe Root and Sarfraz Ahmed strode out for the first test of the summer on May 24, there were plenty of question marks about England’s number four. Root himself put an end to that discussion with a confident ton in the final test against India, but the problem has merely been moved forward a position — England now has no number three. Moeen Ali is the current incumbent, but even the most passionate Pears fan will struggle to put forward a convincing argument for Mo being the right man for the position.

England has a very unusual problem in the middle order. Never has a team been blessed with so many individuals who would be at home at number six or seven in the order. Ben Stokes, Joss Buttler, Jonny Bairstow, Chris Woakes, Moeen Ali and even young Sam Curran all look more than capable of filling those two spots in England’s test side, but Buttler aside none of them seem to have the temperament or technique to bat any higher. It has been a particularly difficult summer for Bairstow, a man who began the summer as arguably England’s second best batsman and ends it as its second best wicket-keeper, not including those out of the side.

And what of England’s spin cupboard? Moeen was seemingly abandoned following a horror winter, only for Jack Leach to get injured and Dom Bess (remember him?) to prove that he too could probably bat at six or seven, but wasn’t likely to take any wickets with his regulation off spin. Adil Rashid came in from the red ball cold, much the anger of Yorkshire County Cricket Club, only to do a whole lot of nothing outside of one magic ball and a famously anonymous performance at Lords. With England’s test summer finished, Moeen Ali is once again the side’s number one spinner.

James Anderson has taken more test wickets than any other seam bowler in history and the Burnley Express is more than deserving of that honour, but his final wicket this summer smacked of ‘keep him on un until he takes it’. That final spell lasted 13 and a half overs, twice as long as Anderson would normally have been expected to bowl. Would he have bowled such a spell if the record wasn’t on the line and the test as good as won? You can answer that question however you like.

As magnificent as Anderson is, he isn’t getting any younger. England is no closer to a dangerous seam attack away from home as it was at the beginning of the summer. Sam Curran has been a genuine bright spot, but it remains to be seen how he fares in less helpful conditions away outside of the UK. As it stands, England’s seam attack is still excellent when the ball is moving around, but a little toothless in flatter circumstances.

So where does England go from here? The obvious and somewhat facetious answer is Sri Lanka in the winter and West Indies in the spring, but we’re talking about bigger issues than geography and planning here. England started the summer with major question marks hanging over four positions in the side; it ends the summer with serious doubts over five or six.

What are the answers? First things first, if he isn’t going to keep wicket then Jos Buttler must bat higher in the order. Buttler was England’s best batsman throughout the India series and such talent cannot be wasted at number seven. If Jonny Bairstow is going to hold the wicket keeping gloves hostage, then to number seven he goes, but Buttler can’t hide with the tail for company forever. He has shown that he is good enough bat higher, and the number five position has his name on it.

Who will make up England’s spin attack this winter? Moeen has done more than enough to ink his name in the Sri Lanka squad, but it remains to be seen how much England’s selectors will be blinded by one Rashid delivery when it comes to the man from Bradford. Jack Leach has not been quite as prolific for Somerset this season as in years past, but the whole ‘being injured’ thing had a lot to do with that. It isn’t clear what else Leach needs to do outside of play somewhere other than Taunton and possibly be a T20 mercenary.

Speaking of Taunton, a James Hildreth-sized hole remains in England’s top order. The chances of the Somerset run machine being selected at the age of 33 are slim to none, and Hildreth will surely go down as the best English batsman never to play test cricket for his country. England are likely to face the future with a horrendously inexperienced top three, and going with the relative experience of Hildreth might be the best idea — for the time being at least.

I shall end on the only note that makes sense, taking into account the romance of Alastair Cook’s departure. Who will replace England’s greatest ever opening batsman at the top of the order? Chef leaves giant boots to fill, but filling them can’t be any more difficult than the struggle to find him a consistent dance partner. Rory Burns is the next cab off the rank, and weight of runs must stand him in good stead. Playing for Surrey won’t hurt either. If Burns is ignored once more, England’s county cricketers will have more ammo for lamenting the future of the domestic game.

Ed Smith hinted recently that he will stick with Keaton Jennings, but whether or not that is the best idea remains to be seen. Jennings is a talented player without doubt, but his mind does not seem to be entirely on the task at hands. Bringing in a confident right handed batsman to open with Burns in Sri Lanka might not be the worst idea. I’ve mentioned previously that I have a hunch that England will ask Jason Roy about his red ball availability, so keep an ear to the ground on that front.

Whatever happens next, it will be a very different England side that Joe Root leads out at the Galle International Stadium on November 6. The troubling thing for England is that we are no closer to knowing what it should like than we were back in May.

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