Joe Root has marked his second stint as England Test captain by making sweeping changes, as he scrapped the team's controversial midnight curfew ahead of the upcoming three-Test series against Pakistan and called on his squad to simply "be adults."
Ben Stokes’ sudden retirement from international cricket led to the ECB handing the England captaincy job to Joe Root, who had last captained England in Tests in 2022.
The England and Wales Cricket Board established stringent behavioral restrictions in July as a result of England's recent struggles with off-field discipline.
These regulations included a strict midnight curfew, clear instructions not to appear in public while intoxicated, and a need to contact management if you want to stay out past 10 p.m. But Root is giving up the babysitting.
"There's not going to be a curfew. I don't think this needs to be a big deal, to be honest. My view on curfews is that I don't think they work, and if you want guys to take responsibility on the field, they've got to feel like they can be grown adults and make good, strong decisions off it. That's for us as a team to manage well, and police well for Stephen Fleming and me,” Root said on the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast.
Root emphasized that, as long as they accept the honor of representing their nation, he wants a team that can succeed without feeling micromanaged.
"Be adults, look after yourselves, look after each other. Create a good, strong culture where you know when the right time is to celebrate and enjoy a win or to have a sensible beer, but remember, you've got to play for England. I don't want people to feel like they can't enjoy winning a Test match because they want to have a beer or, at the right time, let their hair down.
We're human beings at the end of the day. You know what your responsibilities are, you know how you need to prepare for a Test match and what it takes, and the effects that these things can have on you. So be smart, be sensible, and just be an adult,” he added.
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The ECB confirmed the scrapping of the rules, noting that Root and new head coach Stephen Fleming are taking ownership of England squad’s internal standards.
"We have a Test captain and coach who are looking at how they set team standards and culture. As part of this, the curfew will no longer be in place. We will ensure all players have a clear understanding of expectations when they come together for the upcoming Test series,” ECB stated.
The three-Test series between England and Pakistan will begin with the first Test on August 19 in Leeds. The second Test will be played at Lord’s on August 27, and the third and final Test will be played in Birmingham from September 9.
