London, August 25, 2026: England captain Joe Root has expressed frustration and disappointment over a series of off-field incidents involving members of the national team, saying the players must take responsibility and build a culture they can be proud of.
Root’s comments came after fast bowler Brydon Carse was dropped from England’s squad for the second Test against Pakistan following videos circulating on social media that appeared to show the 31-year-old in handcuffs while being spoken to by police officers at a nightclub.
Carse is the latest England player to be linked to a nightclub-related incident, following similar episodes involving Harry Brook, Ben Duckett, former captain Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson. The incidents have prompted criticism of the team’s drinking culture and raised concerns about the players’ conduct away from cricket.
“If I’m being brutally honest, I’m really hacked off. I’m really disappointed,” Root told reporters on Tuesday.
“It’s not the isolated incident itself, it’s the fact that we continually keep making stupid mistakes away from the game and it’s detracting from what we’re doing on the field,” he added.
Root, who has returned to the England captaincy following Ben Stokes’ retirement from international cricket, said the players had held discussions about their responsibilities and expectations as representatives of the national team.
“Clearly we’re not portraying ourselves how we want to. I think we’ve got an opportunity to build a culture that’s very strong, something we can be proud of. Of course that’s not going to happen overnight,” Root said.
He added that the team had already discussed the standards expected of players and the responsibility that comes with representing England.
“We’ve already had conversations as a team about what is expected from this group of players, what it means to play for England, what it takes to play for England. They are very clear about what is expected of them, and how we need to go about things moving forward,” he said.
Root also revealed that he had spoken to Carse following the incident and said the fast bowler was upset and apologetic.
“When I first found out, my first concern was him as a person … I don’t think I’m speaking out of term by saying he’s very upset, very apologetic and understands his actions. I’m sure when he gets his chance, he’ll say that himself,” Root said.
Carse has been replaced by Sonny Baker for the second Test, which begins at Lord’s on Thursday.
England head into the match with a 1-0 lead in the three-Test series after securing a commanding innings-and-103-run victory over Pakistan in the opening Test.
Following the Lord’s Test, the two sides will meet in Birmingham next month for the third and final match of the series.
The latest controversy has nevertheless shifted some attention away from England’s strong start on the field, with Root making clear that the team now wants its conduct away from cricket to match the standards expected of players representing the country.
