Joe Root scraps England's midnight curfew: 'Be adults'
Joe Root has abolished England's midnight curfew, telling players to "be adults" as he returns as Test captain for the three-match series against Pakistan.
The 35-year-old announced the decision on the Sky Sports Cricket podcast, saying: "I don't think they work." The England and Wales Cricket Board confirmed in a statement that the curfew will no longer be in place, with the Test captain and coach reviewing how team standards and culture are set (BBC Sport).
The relaxation applies across all England men's squads, including Brendon McCullum's and Harry Brook's white-ball sides (The Guardian).
The curfew has had a turbulent history. Root first imposed it during his initial stint as Test captain from 2017 to 2022, after drinking incidents on the 2017-18 Ashes tour of Australia. Ben Stokes scrapped it when he took over the captaincy in 2022. It was reintroduced earlier this year following England's Ashes defeat, prompted by off-field behaviour concerns, and has now been removed again under Root (BBC Sport).
The white-ball team got their curfew in January, ahead of the tour of Sri Lanka and the T20 World Cup that followed (BBC Sport).
Several incidents tested the rule. Harry Brook had an altercation with a nightclub bouncer on the eve of a one-day international in Wellington and admitted he was fortunate to keep his position as white-ball captain. Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson were suspended for the second Test against New Zealand in summer 2026 after breaking the curfew while celebrating victory in the series opener at Lord's. The pair were out past midnight when a member of England's security staff was punched by a Saracens rugby player. They missed the second Test while the incident was investigated and were later cleared of wrongdoing (The Guardian; BBC Sport).
Stokes announced his retirement from international cricket midway through the third Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge, having been cleared. His departure opened the door for Root's return (The Guardian; BBC Sport).
Root will lead England in the three Pakistan Tests. Stephen Fleming has been appointed as red-ball head coach but will not be in place for the series, so Marcus Trescothick will act as interim Test coach (BBC Sport; The Guardian).
For fans, the message from Root is straightforward. Trust the players. Treat them as grown-ups. The scoreboard, not the bedside clock, will be the judge of whether that gamble pays off.
