Joe Root Has Not Retired: The Announcement Came from Brother Billy
Billy Root, 34, will retire from professional cricket at the end of the 2026 season after seven years at Glamorgan, not his brother Joe Root of England.
By SportCricket Desk · 24 Sep 2026 · 2 min read
Despite some confusing headlines, England’s Joe Root has not announced his retirement. The news belongs to his younger brother, Billy Root, who said on September 23, 2026 that he will retire from professional cricket when the 2026 season ends.
Billy Root’s career
The 34-year-old began his career at Nottinghamshire and has spent the last seven seasons with Glamorgan. His professional career has lasted 14 years.
For Glamorgan he helped the county win two One-Day Cup titles, including the 2024 success, and scored almost 5,000 runs across his seven seasons.
In 2026 he made two County Championship appearances and also captained the second XI. His retirement will coincide with the departures of other experienced Glamorgan players at the end of the season.
Two different paths
The brothers have had very different careers. Joe has become one of England’s leading international batters, while Billy built his career mainly in English county cricket with Nottinghamshire and Glamorgan.
Readers who see a headline about “Root retiring” should therefore check which brother it refers to. In this case it is Billy, and Joe’s international career is unaffected.
