England captain Joe Root stated he is "hacked off" and "disappointed" following an incident involving fast bowler Brydon Carse at a Derby nightclub. Carse, 31, was subsequently dropped from the squad for the second Test against Pakistan.
Images circulating on social media on Sunday showed Carse outside a bar in Derby on Saturday night, where he was briefly arrested and then de-arrested. Root voiced his frustration at the timing of the incident, especially after the team's previous performance. "After last week's performance, we're sat here and we're talking about something that is not related to it at all," Root said during a news conference.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has forwarded the incident to the Cricket Regulator. Sonny Baker has replaced Carse in the squad for the Test match scheduled to begin at Lord's on Thursday.
Although Carse was not on official England duty at the time, having been released to play for Durham, he is a centrally contracted player. Root confirmed he had spoken with Carse about the incident, expressing concern for him as a person.
"I've spoken to Brydon, and when I first found out my main concern was him as a person," Root added. "I don't think I'm speaking out of turn by saying he's very upset, very apologetic and understands his actions. I'm sure that when he gets his chance he will say that himself."
Root also conveyed his broader frustration with what he termed "stupid mistakes" made by players away from the game, which he believes detract from the team's on-field efforts. "But I don't think it's the isolated incident itself, it's the fact that we keep making stupid mistakes away from the game and it's detracting from what we're doing on the field," he said.