Brydon Carse and Matthew Fisher have both been excluded from England's 15‑man squad for the third and decisive Test against Pakistan at Edgbaston. England are aiming for a clean 3‑0 series victory, with the matches being broadcast live on Sky Sports from September 9 to 13. The team have already dominated the series, crushing the visitors by an innings and 103 runs at Headingley before securing a 194‑run win 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 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 either of the first two Tests.
The Durham side also omitted Carse from its County Championship match against Northamptonshire, which began on Wednesday, citing "pre‑arranged workload management" despite his impressive figures of 4‑95 in the previous victory over Gloucestershire. This decision underscores the delicate balance teams must strike between player availability and disciplinary considerations. Speaking at Lord's last week, England captain Joe Root admitted that he was "fed up" with the growing number of alcohol‑related stories surrounding the squad. He said, "I spoke to Brydon and my first concern was for him as a person.
I don't think I'm speaking out of turn when I say he's very upset, very apologetic and understands his actions. I'm sure when he gets his chance, he'll say that himself." Root's comments highlight the leadership role captains play in managing both on‑field performance and off‑field conduct. 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 unnecessarily.
Consequently, Baker and Sam Cook may remain on the bench unless the coaching staff decide to rest any of the in‑form pace trio of Jofra Archer, Ollie Robinson, Josh Tongue or the emerging Gus Atkinson. Pakistan's relatively inexperienced side has struggled to post competitive totals, being dismissed for under 200 runs in each of the four innings so far and managing to bat beyond 50 overs only once.
The relentless accuracy of England's seam attack, particularly Ollie Robinson who recorded match figures of 8‑35 in the second Test, has been a decisive factor, complemented by the contributions of the other fast bowlers. England's current squad list reads: 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 opposite side, Pakistan have made sweeping changes after their series defeat, sending home seven players and two members of the coaching staff. 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 dismissed. Additionally, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Umar Gul have been released, with Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke stepping in as new members of the backroom team. Seven newcomers have been called up, including five players who have never before played Test cricket.
Among the fresh faces are 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 previously represented Pakistan in limited‑overs formats, joins the squad alongside left‑arm fast bowler Mohammad Imran Junior, wicket‑keeper‑batter Saad Baig and pace‑bowling all‑rounders Mohammad Imran (also known as Imran Randhawa) and Razaullah. The revised Pakistan Test lineup for Edgbaston includes: Babar Azam (captain), Abdullah Fazal, Abdullah Shafique, Arafat Minhas, Azan Awais, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Muhammad Imran, Mohammad Imran Junior, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wicket‑keeper), Razaullah, Saad Baig (wicket‑keeper), Saim Ayub, Sajid Khan, Saud Shakeel, Shan Masood and Ubaid Shah. Fans can watch the opening day of the third Test live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event, with the first ball scheduled for 11 am BST on Wednesday, September 9.
Those without a Sky subscription can explore streaming options through NOW or look for the latest Sky Sports deals to watch the action without a contract. Overall, the final Test promises high stakes: England will be eager to complete a historic sweep, while Pakistan will be looking to salvage pride and give their new recruits a chance to prove themselves on the biggest stage. The selections, disciplinary issues, and strategic choices made by both camps will undoubtedly shape the narrative of this concluding encounter.