Joe Root removes curfew and implores players to be adults ahead of Pakistan series

Joe Root has removed the curfew for England’s Test squad and called on players to demonstrate maturity and personal responsibility ahead of the Pakistan series. Root, who returns to captain England after leading the side between 2017 and 2022, has taken a different approach to team discipline following recent off-field incidents that affected the squad. The three-match series begins at Headingley on August 19, with subsequent Tests at Lord’s and Edgbaston as part of the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle.

England’s Test team faced alcohol-related problems following the away Ashes series in late 2025. During the New Zealand Test series earlier in summer 2026, Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson were suspended for breaching curfew after a nightclub incident, an event that preceded Stokes’ retirement from international cricket.

In response, the ECB introduced additional player behaviour guidelines in July 2026, signed off by managing director Rob Key, which included a midnight curfew, restrictions on appearing under the influence of alcohol in public, and a requirement for players to inform management if they left the team hotel after 10pm.

“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 the curfew is that the players are doing their 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,” Root said to Sky Sports.

We should be known for how we play cricket: Joe Root

Root said that the England team should be recognised for the way they play cricket and their performances on the field, rather than for anything happening off it. He urged the players to behave responsibly, look after themselves and each other, and build a strong team culture where they understand when it is appropriate to celebrate a victory or have a drink while remembering their responsibilities as England players. He added that players should not feel guilty about enjoying a Test victory or having a beer at the right time, as they are human beings too.

“We should be known for how we play cricket and what we do on the field. We should be on the back page of papers. Be adults, look after yourselves, look after each other. [We need to] 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,” said Root.

“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 and then that’s absolutely fine. 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.