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 aiming for a clean‑sweep of the series, with the final match scheduled from September 9 to 13 and being broadcast live on Sky Sports. The hosts have already dominated the series, routing the visitors by an innings and 103 runs at Headingley 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 led to the Durham bowler being 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 pacer Sonny Baker has retained his place in Joe Root's side, while Fisher has been left out after not featuring in the first two Tests. The Durham county also omitted Carse from its lineup for the County Championship clash with Northamptonshire, which began on Wednesday, citing "pre‑arranged workload management" despite his impressive figures of 4‑95 in the previous victory over Gloucestershire. Speaking at Lord's last week, England captain Joe Root admitted he was "fed up" with the growing number of alcohol‑related stories surrounding the team.
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." 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 rotate players. Consequently, Baker and Sam Cook may remain on the bench unless the management decides to rest any of the in‑form fast bowlers—Jofra Archer, Ollie Robinson, Josh Tongue or Gus Atkinson.
Pakistan's relatively inexperienced attack has struggled, being dismissed for under 200 runs in each of the four innings so far and only managing to bat beyond the 50‑over mark once. The relentless accuracy of Ollie Robinson, who finished the second Test with match figures of 8‑35, has been a key factor, supported by the other English seamers. 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 coaches have been dropped following the series defeat. 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, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Umar Gul have been released from the backroom staff, to be replaced by Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke. Seven new faces have been called up, including five players who have not yet earned a Test cap. Batsmen Saim Ayub and Abdullah Fazal bring eight and two Test appearances respectively, while all‑rounder Arafat Minhas—known for his left‑arm spin in limited‑overs cricket—joins the squad.
The other additions are left‑arm pacer Mohammad Imran Jnr, wicket‑keeper‑batter Saad Baig and pace‑bowling all‑rounders Mohammad Imran (also referred to as Imran Randhawa) and Razaullah. Pakistan's revised Test squad for Edgbaston now reads: 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 a.m. (11 a.m.
local time) on Wednesday, September 9, and will be available 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.
All matches in the series are being broadcast live on Sky Sports, and fans are encouraged to use the Chrome browser for the best video experience. Overall, the final Test presents a crucial moment for both sides. England will look to cement a historic whitewash, while Pakistan will aim to salvage pride by regrouping with fresh talent and a restructured coaching staff.
The outcome will hinge on how well the English bowlers maintain their pressure and whether the Pakistani batsmen can adapt to the relentless English seam attack. The stage is set for a compelling conclusion to a series that has already delivered dominant performances, dramatic moments and a few off‑field controversies.