Brydon Carse, 31, was dropped from England's squad for the second Test against Pakistan after he was filmed in police handcuffs outside a bar in Derby on Saturday night, August 22, following Durham’s victory over Derbyshire [1, 2, 3].
Carse was not arrested or charged and was released after being handcuffed for a few minutes, but the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) referred the incident to the Cricket Regulator for investigation. The ECB said, "Following a referral from the ECB, the Cricket Regulator have confirmed that they will investigate events on Saturday night in Derby. Brydon Carse will no longer be available for selection for the second men's Test while this investigation is ongoing and the full facts are obtained" [1].
The incident occurred less than 48 hours before Carse was due to join the England squad in London for the Test at Lord’s, where he has now been replaced by Sonny Baker [1, 2, 3]. Carse had been part of the 15-man squad but was released earlier that day to play for Durham in a County Championship match [1, 2, 3].
Former England captain Ben Stokes, who is retired from international cricket but remains centrally contracted, and teammate Matthew Potts were seen near the incident [1, 2, 3].
The handcuff incident follows a series of off-field disciplinary issues involving England players this year, including events related to Ben Stokes, Gus Atkinson, Harry Brook, and Ben Duckett [1, 2, 3]. Joe Root recently lifted a team curfew initially introduced after the troubled Ashes tour earlier in 2026 [2, 3].
The ECB and Cricket Regulator continue their inquiry into Carse's conduct, and he will not be available for England selection until the investigation concludes [1, 2, 3].
