England's new Test captain, Joe Root, has decided to discard team curfew rules just a month after they were implemented. The guidelines, established by director of cricket Rob Key, will not be enforced under Root's leadership.
Root, who is 35, will lead England in his first match of his second tenure as captain next week against Pakistan. He stated that players are expected to behave as "grown adults" and make responsible decisions both on and off the field. "There's not going to be a curfew. I don't think this needs to be a big deal, to be honest," Root told the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast. He added, "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."
The decision by Root and incoming Test coach Stephen Fleming signifies a shift in approach. This comes shortly after the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) had outlined specific restrictions for players, including a ban on alcohol consumption the day before, during, and after international matches. These stricter rules were put in place partly in response to an incident involving former captain Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson at a Chelsea nightclub. In that instance, Stokes was dropped from the squad for the second Test against New Zealand earlier in the summer after allegedly breaking curfew. Stokes' defense was that he did not believe a curfew was in place after a match had concluded.
Following that event, all members of full England squads were required to inform management if they planned to be out of the team hotel after 10 p.m.
Root emphasized trust in his players' judgment. "Be adults, look after yourselves, look after each other, 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," he said. He also expressed a desire for the team to be recognized for their on-field performance rather than off-field conduct. "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."
Root believes players should be able to enjoy victories responsibly. "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," he stated. He concluded by underscoring personal accountability: "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."