Now Reading: Root scraps England curfew for Pakistan series, asks players to be adults
-
01
Root scraps England curfew for Pakistan series, asks players to be adults
Joe Root has scrapped the midnight curfew for England's Test series against Pakistan, saying players should be trusted as 'grown adults'. The captain made the call on the Sky Sports Cricket podcast…
The Story in Brief
Joe Root has scrapped the midnight curfew for England's Test series against Pakistan, saying players should be trusted as 'grown adults'. The captain made the call on the Sky Sports Cricket podcast as scrutiny of team culture intensifies after a string of off-field incidents.
Root, 35, returned to captaincy after Ben Stokes retired during the New Zealand series in June. Stokes and fast bowler Gus Atkinson had been suspended for one Test after breaking a curfew during a night out in London. Former coach Brendon McCullum also stepped down after England lost the series 2-1. Root said the team would 'police ourselves' alongside new coach Stephen Fleming. The first Test against Pakistan starts August 19.
The Indian Opinion
The narrative that a curfew equals discipline is lazy. Root is betting that treating players like adults will build responsibility faster than imposing midnight bed checks. His test is simple: will the team avoid off-field trouble during the Pakistan series? If not, the ECB will face pressure to micro-manage again. One embarrassment could undo all the trust. That is the number to watch, zero incidents.
Sources (3): timesofindia.indiatimes.com, sports.ndtv.com, rediff.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 3 sources linked above.
