Brydon Carse and Matthew Fisher have both been excluded from England's fifteen‑man roster for the third and decisive Test against Pakistan at Edgbaston. England are aiming for a clean‑sweep of the series, with the matches being broadcast live on Sky Sports from September 9 to 13.
The hosts have already dominated the series, crushing the visitors by an innings and 103 runs at Headingley and then sealing a 194‑run triumph at Lord's. Carse was removed from the squad for the second Test after the Cricket Regulator opened an investigation into an incident that saw the Durham bowler briefly taken into custody outside a Derby nightclub on August 22. Derbyshire Police are currently probing "allegations of assault" involving the 31‑year‑old, while right‑arm pacer Sonny Baker has been retained in Joe Root's side as Carse's replacement. Fisher, on the other hand, has been left out after not featuring in either of the first two Tests.
In addition to missing the national squad, Carse was also omitted from Durham's lineup for their County Championship clash with Northamptonshire, which began on Wednesday. The decision was described as part of a "pre‑arranged workload management" plan, even though Carse had finished his previous match with impressive figures of four wickets for 95 runs in Durham's win over Gloucestershire. England captain Joe Root addressed the situation at Lord's last week, saying he felt "hacked off" by the growing number of alcohol‑related stories surrounding the team. He added, "I've spoken to Brydon and when I first found out my first concern was him as a person.
I don't think I'm speaking out of turn in saying he's very upset, very apologetic and understands his actions. I'm sure when he gets his chance, he will say that himself." Interim head coach Marcus Trescothick has signalled that his priority is to field the strongest possible XI in pursuit of a 3‑0 whitewash, rather than rotating players. This approach suggests that Baker and Sam Cook may remain on the bench unless the management decides to rest any of the in‑form pace quartet comprising Jofra Archer, Ollie Robinson, Josh Tongue and Gus Atkinson. Pakistan's side, still relatively inexperienced, have been dismissed for under 200 runs in each of the four innings played so far and have managed to bat beyond 50 overs only once.
The relentless accuracy of Ollie Robinson, who recorded match figures of eight wickets for 35 runs in the second Test, has been a key factor, supported by the rest of England's seam attack. The current England squad lists: Joe Root (Yorkshire, captain), Jofra Archer (Sussex), Gus Atkinson (Surrey), Sonny Baker (Hampshire), Shoaib Bashir (Derbyshire), Harry Brook (Yorkshire), Sam Cook (Essex), Jordan Cox (Essex), Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire), Emilio Gay (Durham), Dan Lawrence (Surrey), Ollie Pope (Surrey), Ollie Robinson (Sussex), Jamie Smith (Surrey) and Josh Tongue (Nottinghamshire). On the Pakistani side, seven players and two members of the coaching staff have been dropped following the series defeat. Mohammad Rizwan, Imam‑ul‑Haq (who suffered an injury during the second Test at Lord's), Salman Ali Agha, Ali Usman, Aamir Jamal, Muhammad Awais Zafar and Khurram Shahzad have all been sent home.
Additionally, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Umar Gul have been released, with Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke stepping into the backroom roles. Seven new faces have been called up to the Pakistan squad, including five who have never before played Test cricket. The newcomers include batsmen Saim Ayub and Abdullah Fazal, who have already earned eight and two Test caps respectively, left‑arm spin‑bowling all‑rounder Arafat Minhas (who has represented Pakistan in limited‑overs formats), left‑arm fast bowler Mohammad Imran Jr., wicket‑keeper‑batter Saad Baig, and pace‑bowling all‑rounders Mohammad Imran (also known as Imran Randhawa) and Razaullah.
The updated Pakistan Test lineup for Edgbaston reads: Babar Azam (captain), Abdullah Fazal, Abdullah Shafique, Arafat Minhas, Azan Awais, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Muhammad Imran, Mohammad Imran Jr., Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wicket‑keeper), Razaullah, Saad Baig (wicket‑keeper), Saim Ayub, Sajid Khan, Saud Shakeel, Shan Masood and Ubaid Shah. The third Test will kick off at 10 am on Wednesday, September 9 (11 am local time for the first ball) and will be streamed live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event. Viewers without a Sky subscription can explore streaming options through NOW or other Sky Sports deals. Overall, the final Test presents a crucial juncture for both sides.
England will look to seal a historic 3‑0 series win, while Pakistan hopes to salvage pride by putting up a competitive fight and giving their new entrants a chance to prove themselves on the biggest stage. The match promises high‑quality fast‑bowling action, strategic captaincy decisions, and the ever‑present narrative of off‑field incidents influencing team selection.