Joe Root scraps midnight curfew after return as England Test captain

Joe Root has scrapped England's midnight curfew after returning as Test captain, telling his players to "be adults" and take responsibility for their behaviour ahead of the three-Test series against Pakistan.England Test captain Joe Root removes night curfew ahead of Pakistan series (Reuters File Photo)Joe Root has wasted no time making his mark in his second stint as England Test captain, scrapping the team's controversial midnight curfew ahead of the upcoming three-Test series against Pakistan and calling on his squad to simply "be adults."Root stepped back into the leadership role following Ben Stokes' sudden retirement from international cricket after June's third Test against New Zealand. He inherits a side that has wrestled with off-field discipline issues in recent months, leading the England and Wales Cricket Board to introduce strict behavioral guidelines in July.Those rules included a mandatory midnight curfew, explicit instructions not to appear under the influence of alcohol in public, and a requirement to notify management if staying out past 10pm. Root, however, is ditching the babysitting."There's not going to be a curfew. I don't think this needs to be a big deal, to be honest," Root said on the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast, insisting that player autonomy off the pitch directly influences performance on it. "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," he explained. "That's for us as a team to manage well, and police well for me and Stephen Fleming."Root stressed that he wants a squad capable of enjoying success without feeling micromanaged, provided they respect the privilege of representing their country. "Be adults, look after yourselves, look after each other," Root added."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."The ECB confirmed the policy change, noting that Root and new head coach Fleming are taking ownership of the squad's internal standards."We have a Test captain and coach who are looking at how they set team standards and culture," the governing body stated. "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."The original curfew came as a response to multiple high-profile distractions, dating back to the Ashes tour of Australia and peaking during June's home series against New Zealand.Stokes and fast bowler Gus Atkinson were both dropped for the second Test at The Oval following a late-night incident outside a nightclub, though both returned for the third Test before Stokes called time on his international career. The Cricket Regulator later noted that the specifics of the curfew had been poorly communicated to players.The fallout also impacted Harry Brook, who was involved in a late-night altercation with a nightclub bouncer on the eve of an ODI. Brook, who served as Stokes' vice-captain, was passed over for the top job when Root was reinstated, with ECB managing director Rob Key admitting it was "too soon" for the young batter to take on the leadership.Interestingly, Root left the door open for a potential Stokes comeback ahead of the next Ashes series. When asked if he would welcome the former skipper back into the fold, Root offered a pragmatic response: "I don't know, let's get there first."Root's second chapter as skipper officially starts next Wednesday when England take on Pakistan at Headingley in the series opener.- EndsPublished By: Saurabh KumarPublished On: Aug 12, 2026 19:25 IST