Joe Root has lowered the England Test team’s curfew ahead of the Pakistan series, urging players to demonstrate personal responsibility and maturity. Root, who led the squad from 2017 until 2022, is returning to captain England.
Root has implemented a new team discipline strategy in reaction to recent off-field incidents that have harmed the group. As part of the ICC World Test Championship 2025-2027 cycle, the three-match series begins on August 19 at Headingley and continues with Tests at Lord’s and Edgbaston.
Following the away Ashes series in late 2025, England’s Test team struggled with alcohol. Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson were punished for curfew violations during the New Zealand Test series in the summer of 2026, following an argument at a bar that occurred after Stokes retired from international cricket.
In response, the ECB introduced new player behaviour guidelines in July 2026, which were approved by managing director Rob Key. These rules included a midnight curfew, a ban on appearing in public while intoxicated, and a requirement for players to contact management if they left the team hotel after 10 p.m.
“There will not be a curfew. To be honest, I don’t see why this should be such a huge problem. My position on the curfew is that the players are doing their jobs, and if you want guys to take responsibility on the pitch, they need to feel like they can be mature adults and make sound decisions off the pitch’, Root told Sky Sports.
Joe Root: We should be known for our cricket skills.
According to Joe Root, the England side should be recognised for their on-field accomplishments and style of play rather than anything that happens off the pitch. He instructed the players to act appropriately, take care of one another and themselves, and foster a strong team culture in which they understand when to celebrate a win or have a drink while remaining mindful of their responsibilities as England players. He went on to argue that because players are individuals, they should not feel bad about celebrating a Test victory or drinking a beer at the appropriate time.
“We should be known for our cricket skills and on-field performance. We should be on the back page of newspapers. Be adults, look after yourselves and each other. [We need to] develop a good, strong culture in which you know when it’s appropriate to celebrate and enjoy a win or to have a decent beer, but remember – you’ve got to play for England,” said Joe Root.
“I don’t want people to feel like they can’t appreciate winning a Test match because they want to have a beer or, at the right time, let their hair down, which is perfectly great. After all, we are human beings. You understand your obligations, how to prepare for a Test match, what it entails, and the effects these things can have on you. “So be smart, sensible, and just be an adult,” he said.
