Root urges England to celebrate series win responsibly

England captain Joe Root urged his team to celebrate their series victory over Pakistan in a "grownup way" after a 194-run win in the second Test at Lord's on Sunday secured an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match contest. The victory, which followed an innings and 103-run win at Headingley, marks England's first multi-match series win since December 2024. Root, who returned to the captaincy after Ben Stokes's shock international retirement, emphasized the need for responsible conduct off the field. The buildup to the Lord's Test was overshadowed by an incident in which fast bowler Brydon Carse was dropped from the squad after being handcuffed by police outside a Derby nightclub. This was the latest in a series of alcohol-related controversies that have affected the team over the past year, including an altercation involving whiteball captain Harry Brook in Wellington and videos of players during the Ashes series in Australia. A curfew had been introduced following those events, but Root's first act upon his return was to remove it, calling instead for greater personal responsibility. "It's important we're not talking about that, absolutely," Root said.