Joe Root, the new England Test captain, has ended the midnight curfew previously imposed on the team. This decision comes as he begins his second period leading the side, with the instruction to his players to “be adults.”
The curfew was initially put in place during the winter months, following several late-night incidents that occurred during tours of New Zealand and Australia. It had been abolished when Ben Stokes took over as captain in 2022, only to be reintroduced earlier this year.
Curfew History and Recent Incidents
The first instance of a curfew under Root’s initial captaincy, between 2017 and 2022, was after drinking-related incidents during the 2017-18 Ashes tour. The rule was then reinstated for the white-ball team in January for their tour of Sri Lanka and the subsequent T20 World Cup.
Incidents that led to the reintroduction of the curfew included Harry Brook being involved in an altercation with a nightclub bouncer in Wellington. Additionally, opener Ben Duckett was reportedly filmed in an inebriated state during England’s mid-Ashes holiday in Noosa.
For the Test team, the curfew remained in effect during the home summer. Following a victory against New Zealand at Lord’s, Stokes and pace bowler Gus Atkinson were out past midnight. During this time, a member of the England security staff was reportedly punched by a Saracens rugby player. Both players missed the second Test against the Black Caps while the incident was investigated, though they were later cleared of any wrongdoing. Stokes subsequently announced his retirement from international cricket midway through the third Test at Trent Bridge.
Leadership Changes and Player Responsibility
Root’s decision to remove the curfew also extends to the white-ball team, despite no change in leadership for the one-day and T20 sides. These limited-overs teams, led by coach Brendon McCullum and captain Harry Brook, will also no longer be subject to the midnight rule.
Speaking about his decision, Root stated, “There’s not going to be a curfew. I don’t think this needs to be a big deal, to be honest.” He further explained his view: “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 off it and make good, strong decisions off it.”
McCullum has been replaced as Test coach by fellow New Zealander Stephen Fleming. However, Fleming will not be in place for the three matches against Pakistan, with Marcus Trescothick serving as the interim coach.
Root emphasised the importance of players managing themselves: “Ultimately, you’re grown adults, you know what it takes to play for England, you know what your responsibilities are off the field and we need to make sure we don’t find ourselves with any of those situations, off the field, to manage.” He added, “We should be known for how we play our cricket and what we do on the field.”
The England and Wales Cricket Board issued a statement confirming the change: “We have a Test captain and coach, who are looking at how they set team standards and culture. 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.”
This removal of the curfew represents a partial shift from behavioural guidelines issued last month. Those guidelines had recommended against alcohol consumption immediately before, during, or after a match, and advised against public drinking if players chose to drink during these periods. The guidelines apply to the England senior men’s teams, while other England sides maintain their own rules.
Source: bbc.co.uk