Root Abolishes Midnight Curfew for England Test Team

Joe Root has abolished the midnight curfew for his England Test side, telling his players to act as "grown adults" ahead of a new era in the team's leadership. The decision, announced on August 12, 2026, marks Root's first significant act since returning as Test captain and comes just days before the start of a three-match series against Pakistan.

The curfew was originally introduced by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) following a series of off-field incidents during the winter Ashes series. Most notably, batter Harry Brook was involved in an altercation with a nightclub bouncer in Wellington on the eve of a one-day international. Later, during the summer's home series against New Zealand, Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson were suspended for the second Test after breaking the curfew while celebrating a victory at Lord's. Those incidents raised questions about the team's culture and led to the implementation of stricter behavioral guidelines in July, which included the midnight cutoff and a requirement for players to inform management if they were outside their hotel after 10 p.m.

Speaking on the Sky Sports Cricket podcast, Root explained his philosophy. "There's not going to...