Joe Root scraps England Test team midnight curfew, tells players to ‘be adults’
On 12 August 2026 Joe Root told the Sky Sports Cricket podcast he had abolished the England Test team’s midnight curfew and urged his players to “be adults”. The decision comes as Root returns as Test captain ahead of next week’s matches against Pakistan.
The curfew was introduced after England’s Ashes defeat in the winter when off-field behaviour attracted scrutiny. Most notably, Harry Brook was involved in an altercation with a nightclub bouncer on the eve of a one-day international in Wellington, an episode after which Brook said he was fortunate to keep his position as white-ball captain. The restriction had been applied across the England men’s teams, and it is understood the relaxation of rules will also cover Brendon McCullum’s and Brook’s white-ball sides.
This summer Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson were suspended for the second Test against New Zealand after breaking the curfew while celebrating victory in the series opener. Stokes returned for the series closer and then announced his retirement from international cricket, a development that prompted Root’s return as Test captain.
Root told the Sky Sports Cricket podcast the curfew had been removed and argued: "I don’t think they work." He made the remarks as he prepared to take charge of England’s red-ball side.
"There’s not going to be a curfew," Root said. "I don’t think this needs to be a big deal, to be honest. My view on curfews is 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. That’s for us as a team to manage well, and self-police well, for me and [Fleming] to manage well. Ultimately, you’re grown adults. You know what it takes to play for England. You know what your responsibilities are off the field. We should be known for how we play our cricket and what we do on the field. We should be on the back page of papers. "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, and remember you’re playing for England. "I don’t want people to feel like they can’t enjoy winning a Test match. If they want to have a beer at the right time, go and let their hair down, then that’s absolutely fine. You’re human beings at the end of the day. You know what your responsibilities are. Be smart, be sensible, and just be an adult about it."
The Yorkshireman will lead England next week against Pakistan and begins his spell as Test captain working with Stephen Fleming, who has been appointed red-ball head coach.
Root will take charge for the three-match Pakistan series next week.