Tongue says Joe Root has left England in no doubt over conduct standards
England captain Joe Root has laid down the law over the standards of behaviour he expects from his side as they deal with yet another off-field embarrassment, according to fast bowler Josh Tongue.
England captain Joe Root has made his expectations clear to his team regarding the appropriate conduct standards they must uphold, according to fast bowler Josh Tongue. Brydon Carse was recently dropped from the squad for the upcoming second Test against Pakistan at Lord's, having been referred to the Cricket Regulator following an incident at a Derby nightclub where he was seen being led away in handcuffs.
Root, visibly displeased, expressed his frustration with this latest alcohol-fuelled incident involving an England cricketer, even though Carse was not part of the squad for the recent match in Leeds. Root led his players in robust conversations after the incident, making it clear to them about the standards he expects from them.
The 28-year-old paceman added that playing for England is a privilege and emphasized the need to remain professional. Carse's arrest is the latest in a series of drink-related controversies that have plagued the England team over the past 10 months. Other incidents include limited-overs captain Harry Brook's altercation with a nightclub bouncer in Wellington before a one-day international in New Zealand, and Ben Duckett appearing drunk on a night out during England's 4-1 Ashes series loss in Australia.
In June, former captain Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson were both stood down from the second Test against New Zealand following an incident at a London nightclub after breaking a curfew. Stokes later announced his retirement from international cricket, paving the way for Root to return as Test captain for a second spell. While Tongue acknowledges that "things have been happening off the field," he has personally tried to move on and focus on playing the best cricket possible for England.
Despite England's last Test series victory coming against New Zealand in December 2024, Tongue expressed his desire to win a series against Pakistan, stating that they must focus on playing their best cricket and remaining relaxed out on the field.
Written by urgent.news from IOL's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
Also reported by 3 other outlets
- Tongue says Root's message hit home as England eye series win brecorder.com
- Joe Root’s ‘straight’ talk in England dressing room post Carse handcuff incident revealed indianexpress.com
- Tongue says Root's message hit home as England eye series win channelnewsasia.com
