England white-ball coach Brendon McCullum has excluded fast bowler Brydon Carse from the squad for the Sri Lanka series, directing him to resolve personal conduct issues. The instruction follows an incident on August 22 where Carse was detained and handcuffed by police outside Molly Malone’s Irish Tavern in Derby on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly. He was subsequently de-arrested after agreeing to leave the vicinity.
The Cricket Regulator began an investigation shortly after footage of the incident surfaced, leading to Carse’s removal from the England setup. Despite Carse’s successful 2025-26 Ashes campaign, McCullum made it clear that the bowler must meet off-field standards before returning to international cricket.
“As far as Carsey is concerned, it’s important for Carsey that he gets his house in order,” McCullum stated. “We know he’s an excellent cricketer who has done well when he’s played for England. It’s a good chance for him now to get his house in order and then push for selection for the next opportunity that arises.”
The decision coincides with changes in the England coaching hierarchy. Stephen Fleming arrived in England on September 14 to assume the role of Test head coach, a position previously held by McCullum. McCullum now focuses on the white-ball formats, where he has integrated Kevin Pietersen as a specialist mentor.
Pietersen, appointed on September 7, is under contract through the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. McCullum indicated that Pietersen’s role would involve evaluating the team environment rather than focusing solely on technical coaching.
“I’ve mentioned to him that I don’t want him to be buried in one specific skillset,” McCullum said. “I want him to look across the environment and challenge me privately around ways we can improve or things we can do differently.”
England faces Sri Lanka in the first T20I at Southampton on September 15. Derbyshire’s Aneurin Donald is confirmed to make his international debut as an opening batter. In the bowling department, Sussex seamer Henry Crocombe has been included in the squad following consecutive hat-tricks in domestic cricket, taking the spot vacated by Carse while the Regulator’s probe continues.
