Joe Root has made an immediate change to England’s Test set-up since returning as captain, removing the team’s midnight curfew ahead of the three-Test series against Pakistan.
Root believes senior international cricketers should be trusted to make sensible decisions away from the field rather than operate under strict rules governing when they must return to the team hotel.
Speaking on the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast, Root explained that he does not believe curfews are effective and wants his players to take responsibility for their own behavior.
“My view on the curfew is I don’t think they work,” Root said. “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.”
The decision comes shortly after the England and Wales Cricket Board introduced stricter behavior guidelines for the senior men’s teams.
Under those rules, players were expected to return to their hotel by midnight, inform management or security if they left after 10 PM, and avoid being seen in public under the influence of alcohol.
Players were also advised against drinking on the day before, during or immediately after a match.
Those measures followed an incident involving former captain Ben Stokes and fast bowler Gus Atkinson, who were suspended for one Test after breaching team rules during a night out in London.
The incident prompted the ECB to review the standards expected from England players away from matches.
Root’s decision represents a clear change in dealing with the issue. Rather than simply relying on a fixed deadline, he wants the players to understand when they can relax and when their responsibilities to the team must take priority.
The ECB has backed the decision, confirming that Root and newly appointed head coach Stephen Fleming will determine how standards and team culture are managed.
Players will still receive clear expectations before the Pakistan series, meaning the removal of the curfew does not amount to an absence of rules.
