There's not going to be a curfew - Joe Root

CBTF Aug 12, 2026
14:40:00
There's not going to be a curfew - Joe Root

Joe Root has said there will be no curfew during his time as England Test captain, insisting he wants his players to take responsibility for their actions rather than be governed by strict restrictions.

The ECB had introduced new guidelines in July in the aftermath of Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson’s nightclub incident. The guidelines included a midnight curfew, a requirement for players to inform management if they were out of the hotel after 10pm, and a stipulation that players must not appear in public under the influence of alcohol.

Root, who will begin his second stint in the role with the upcoming Test series against Pakistan, said he does not believe a curfew is necessary and expects his players to make responsible decisions away from the field.

"There's not going to be a curfew. I don't think this needs to be a big deal, to be honest," Root said on the Sky Sports Cricket podcast.

"My view on the curfew is that the players are doing their work, and if you want guys to take responsibility on the field, they've got to feel like they can be grown adults and make good, strong decisions off it.

"That's for us as a team to manage well, and police well for me and Stephen Fleming. We should be known for how we play 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, but remember you've got to play for England."

Root is taking over from Stokes, who recently retired from Test cricket, and his approach echoes former England head coach Brendon McCullum's philosophy of allowing players to enjoy their cricket without "killing the joy".

Root said players should be able to celebrate a Test victory with a beer, provided they remain conscious of their responsibilities and the demands of playing for England.

"I don't want people to feel like they can't enjoy winning a Test match because they want to have a beer or at the right time let their hair down and then that's absolutely fine. We're human beings at the end of the day.

"You know what your responsibilities are, you know how you need to prepare for a Test match and what it takes, and the effects that these things can have on you. So be smart, be sensible, and just be an adult."

The ECB also confirmed that the curfew will no longer be in place under the new Test leadership structure under Root and coach Stephen Fleming.

"We have a Test captain and coach, who are looking at how they set team standards and culture," the release stated. "As part of this, the curfew will no longer be in place. We will ensure all players have a clear understanding of expectations when they come together for the upcoming Test series.”

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