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 3‑0 series victory, with the matches being broadcast live from September 9 to 13 on Sky Sports. The team already enjoyed a dominant performance at Headingley, winning by an innings and 103 runs, and followed that with 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" against the 31‑year‑old.
In Carse's stead, right‑arm paceman Sonny Baker has retained his place in Joe Root's squad, while Fisher has been left out after not featuring in the first two Tests. The Durham side also left Carse out of its 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 decision underscores the delicate balance teams must strike between disciplinary matters and player welfare. England captain Joe Root addressed the situation at Lord's last week, admitting he felt "hacked off" by the growing number of alcohol‑related stories surrounding the squad.
He said, "I spoke to Brydon and my first concern was 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 reflect a broader concern within the dressing room about off‑field behaviour and its impact on team morale. Interim head coach Marcus Trescothick has signalled his intention to field the strongest possible XI in pursuit of a 3‑0 whitewash, rather than rotating players. This strategy suggests that Baker and Sam Cook may remain on the sidelines unless the coaching staff decide to rest any of the in‑form pace quartet of Jofra Archer, Ollie Robinson, Josh Tongue and Gus Atkinson. The Pakistani 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.
Ollie Robinson's relentless accuracy was on full display, as he recorded match figures of 8‑35 in the second Test, a performance that was bolstered 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).
The omission of Carse and Fisher highlights the team's focus on discipline and performance as they chase the series clean‑sweep. Meanwhile, Pakistan have made sweeping changes to their touring party after the series defeat. Seven players and two members of the coaching staff have been sent home.
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 dropped. In addition, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Umar Gul have been released from their roles, with Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke stepping in to fill the back‑room vacancies. Pakistan's revised Test squad for Edgbaston includes a mix of experienced campaigners and uncapped talent.
New call‑ups feature five players who have not yet debuted at Test level, alongside batters Saim Ayub and Abdullah Fazal, who have eight and two Test appearances respectively. All‑rounder Arafat Minhas, a left‑arm spinner who has represented Pakistan in limited‑overs cricket, joins the squad, as does 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 full Pakistan lineup 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 at Edgbaston promises to be a high‑stakes encounter, with England eager to seal a historic 3‑0 sweep and Pakistan desperate to salvage pride after a string of heavy defeats. Fans can watch the action live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event, with the first ball scheduled for 11 a.m. UK time on Wednesday, September 9.
Those without a Sky subscription can explore streaming options via NOW, which offers contract‑free access to the match. In summary, the exclusion of Brydon Carse and Matthew Fisher underscores England's commitment to maintaining discipline and fielding a side capable of delivering a series whitewash. The ongoing investigation into Carse's alleged assault adds a layer of complexity to squad selection, while Joe Root's public support for his teammate reflects a compassionate leadership style. As the teams prepare for the final showdown at Edgbaston, both sides will be looking to adjust tactics, manage player workloads, and, above all, perform under the pressure of a decisive Test match.