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. The decision comes as England push for a clean‑sheet 3‑0 series victory, with the matches being broadcast live on Sky Sports from September 9 to 13.
After a dominant performance at Headingley, where the hosts won by an innings and 103 runs, they followed up with a 194‑run win at Lord's, leaving the series poised for a potential whitewash. Carse's omission follows his withdrawal 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 currently probing "allegations of assault" involving the 31‑year‑old. In Carse's stead, right‑arm pacer Sonny Baker has retained his place in Joe Root's side, while Fisher was left out after not featuring in either of the first two matches. The Durham County Cricket Club also left Carse out of their County Championship fixture against Northamptonshire, which began on Wednesday, citing "pre‑arranged workload management" despite his impressive figures of 4‑95 in the previous win over Gloucestershire. This dual omission underscores the seriousness of the off‑field concerns surrounding Carse.
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 team. 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." Root's comments highlight the personal impact of the incident on Carse and the broader desire within the squad to maintain discipline and focus.
Interim head coach Marcus Trescothick has signalled a clear intention to field the strongest possible XI in pursuit of the 3‑0 sweep, preferring stability over rotation. This approach suggests that players like Sonny Baker and Sam Cook may remain on the bench unless the management decides to rest any of the in‑form fast‑bowling 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 their four innings so far and have managed to bat beyond 50 overs only once.
The English seam attack, particularly the relentless accuracy of Ollie Robinson—who recorded match figures of 8‑35 in the second Test—has been instrumental, supported by the other pace options. 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) - Josh Tongue (Nottinghamshire) On the Pakistani side, after their series loss, seven players and two coaches have been dropped from the touring party ahead of the final Test.
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 from the coaching staff, to be replaced by Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke.
Seven newcomers have been called up, including five players who have yet to earn a Test cap. Among the new faces are batters Saim Ayub and Abdullah Fazal, who have already made eight and two Test appearances respectively. Left‑arm spin‑bowling all‑rounder Arafat Minhas, who has represented Pakistan in limited‑overs cricket, joins the squad alongside 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 revised Pakistan Test squad for Edgbaston comprises: - 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 - 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 contract‑free streaming options via NOW, which currently offers promotional deals for the series. In summary, the exclusion of Brydon Carse and Matthew Fisher reflects both disciplinary considerations and strategic choices as England aim to secure a historic 3‑0 series win. The team’s management is emphasizing a stable, high‑performing lineup while Pakistan reshapes its squad in response to the defeats.
The final Test at Edgbaston promises to be a decisive encounter, with England’s potent pace attack set to test a relatively inexperienced Pakistani batting order, and the outcome likely to determine whether England can complete a clean sweep of the series.