Brydon Carse and Matthew Fisher have both been excluded from England's 15‑man roster for the third and decisive Test against Pakistan at Edgbaston. England are on the brink of a clean 3‑0 series sweep, with the matches being broadcast live on Sky Sports from September 9 to 13. They have already dominated the visitors, winning the second Test at Headingley by an innings and 103 runs and then securing a 194‑run triumph at Lord's. Carse was removed from the squad for the second Test after the Cricket Regulator launched an investigation into an incident that saw the Durham bowler briefly detained outside a Derby nightclub on August 22.
Derbyshire Police are now probing "allegations of assault" involving the 31‑year‑old. In Carse's place, right‑arm paceman Sonny Baker has retained his spot in Joe Root's side, while Fisher has been left out after not featuring in the first two Tests.
The same disciplinary concerns have spilled over into county cricket. Carse was also omitted from Durham's lineup for their County Championship clash with Northamptonshire, which began on Wednesday, citing "pre‑arranged workload management". This decision came despite his impressive figures of 4‑95 in Durham's previous victory over Gloucestershire.
England captain Joe Root addressed the situation at Lord's last week, expressing his frustration with the growing number of alcohol‑related stories surrounding the squad. He said, "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 made it clear that his priority is to field the strongest possible XI in pursuit of a 3‑0 whitewash, rather than rotating players. Consequently, Baker and Sam Cook may remain on the sidelines unless the coaching staff decides to rest any of the in‑form pace quartet of Jofra Archer, Ollie Robinson, Josh Tongue and Gus Atkinson. Pakistan's relatively inexperienced side has struggled to post competitive totals, being dismissed for under 200 in each of the four innings so far and managing to bat beyond 50 overs only once. The relentless accuracy of Ollie Robinson, who finished the second Test with match figures of 8‑35, has been a key factor, complemented by the steady contributions of England's other seamers.
The current England squad for the Edgbaston Test includes: 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 (Sur Surrey), Ollie Robinson (Sussex), Jamie Smith (Surrey) and Josh Tongue (Nottinghamshire). On the opposite side, Pakistan have made significant changes to their touring party after the series loss. Seven players and two coaches have been dropped.
Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul‑Haq (who was injured 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. In addition, senior figures Sarfaraz Ahmed and Umar Gul have been released from the backroom staff and will be replaced by Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke.
Pakistan have called up seven replacements, including five uncapped Test players. Batsmen Saim Ayub and Abdullah Fazal bring eight and two Test appearances respectively, while the all‑rounder Arafat Minhas, known for his left‑arm spin in limited‑overs cricket, joins the squad.
Other newcomers include left‑arm fast bowler Mohammad Imran Jnr, wicket‑keeper‑batter Saad Baig and pace‑bowling all‑rounders Mohammad Imran (also known as Imran Randhawa) and Razaullah. The revised Pakistan Test squad for Edgbaston consists of: Babar Azam (captain), Abdullah Fazal, Abdullah Shafique, Arafat Minhas, Azan Awais, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Muhammad Imran, Mohammad Imran Jnr, 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 (11 am local time) on Wednesday, September 9, and will be streamed live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event.
Fans without a Sky subscription can explore streaming options through NOW or other Sky Sports deals. Overall, the match promises a high‑stakes showdown as England aim to complete a historic whitewash while Pakistan seek to salvage pride after a difficult tour. Both teams will be under pressure to perform, and the selection choices made by the coaching staff could prove pivotal in determining the final outcome of the series.