Despite his availability for selection, seamer Brydon Carse has not been selected by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for the upcoming white-ball series against Sri Lanka. The ECB decided to give Carse time to address issues related to the Derby incident and to “work through the issues,” an ECB official told Cricinfo, stressing that his omission does not reflect the conclusion of any ongoing investigation.
Carse was arrested on August 22, 2026, while celebrating a Durham County Championship triumph outside a Derby pub on charges of intoxication and disorderly conduct. Shortly after, he agreed to leave the region and was released from custody. The degree of Carse’s involvement in that case has not yet been determined. However, Derbyshire Police later confirmed that a separate assault investigation related to the same evening is still underway.
Three Twenty20 International matches are scheduled to kick off the series on September 15 in Southampton, followed by matches in Cardiff on September 17 and Manchester on September 19. After that, the teams will play three One Day Internationals: on September 22 in Chester-le-Street, on September 24 in Leeds, and on September 27 at The Oval.
Carse was healthy and available for the Sri Lanka series, but he was purposefully left out, according to an ECB official on September 4. The board also affirmed that Carse’s behaviour is being investigated by the Cricket Regulator.
An ECB spokesperson revealed, “Whilst Brydon was available for selection, he has not been picked for the Sri Lanka series squad. Given recent events, we feel it is important for him to work through the issues that led to the Derby incident and take time for a proper reset. This decision does not prejudge the outcome of any investigation.”
After being briefly detained on suspicion of being intoxicated and unruly outside a pub while Durham was celebrating their County Championship victory, Carse was suspended from the England Test team. Carse’s role in the event is yet unknown, although Derbyshire Police have stated they are looking into an alleged assault.
Additionally, he was left off England’s selections for the upcoming Sri Lanka white-ball series and the third Test match against Pakistan. “Brydon was available for selection, but he has not been selected for the Sri Lanka series squad,” the ECB said. We think he must resolve the problems that caused the Derby incident and take some time to properly reset himself in light of current developments. The results of any investigation are not predetermined by this decision.
