Brydon Carse dropped by England as investigation begins into handcuffs incident

England fast bowler Brydon Carse has been withdrawn from the squad for the second Test against Pakistan amid an ongoing investigation into his brief detention by police outside a Derby nightlife venue.

The 31-year-old, who remains under a central England contract, was filmed in handcuffs by a bystander early on Sunday morning after being detained on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly outside Molly Malone’s Irish Tavern in the city centre. Carse had been celebrating Durham’s County Championship victory over Derbyshire with teammates, including former England captain Ben Stokes and fast bowler Matthew Potts. According to reports, he was handcuffed for only a few minutes before agreeing to leave and was subsequently released without charge.

The Cricket Regulator, the sport’s disciplinary body, is examining the incident for a possible breach of the game’s code of conduct. In the interim, Carse has been stood down from the Test squad, despite not being expected to play unless required due to injury. Hampshire’s Sonny Baker has been brought in as his replacement.

The England and Wales Cricket Board confirmed on Monday that it had referred the matter to the Cricket Regulator, which will now investigate the events in Derby. Carse will remain unavailable for selection while the inquiry proceeds.

Durham County Cricket Club, though not Carse’s direct employer, is not pursuing disciplinary action, nor are Stokes or Potts considered to be involved in any wrongdoing. The footage emerged after Carse was denied re-entry to the bar following an altercation with another patron who had spilled a drink on him.

England’s squad, which reconvened in London on Monday after a three-day innings win at Headingley, will train at Lord’s ahead of Thursday’s Test. The issue adds to early challenges for new Test captain Joe Root, who has already faced questions about team culture and alcohol use after a series of off-field incidents in recent months.