England drop Carse from squad for final Pakistan Test

Brydon Carse bowls for Durham in the County Championship while England finalise their squad for the third Test against Pakistan.

England have left fast bowler Brydon Carse out of their squad for the third and final Test against Pakistan at Edgbaston, the England and Wales Cricket Board confirmed on Wednesday. The 31-year-old missed the second Test after being arrested following an incident outside a Derby nightclub and remains under investigation by Derbyshire Police.

Carse was omitted from the Lord's Test after the August 22 incident and has not been recalled despite playing for Durham in their County Championship win over Gloucestershire. British media reported that police are examining allegations of assault, and the investigation is ongoing.

Sonny Baker, the 23-year-old left-arm seamer who replaced Carse for the second Test, has retained his place in England's 15-man squad. Baker featured as England secured an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series with victories at Headingley and Lord's.

Matthew Fisher has been dropped from the group as England prepare for the series finale in Birmingham. The Surrey paceman was part of the squad for the second Test but has not been retained for the third match, which begins on September 9.

Carse did not appear in the opening Test at Headingley, where England defeated Pakistan by an innings and 103 runs. He was then removed from the Lord's squad after the Derby incident, and his exclusion from the Edgbaston match confirms that he will not feature in the series.

Despite the off-field situation, Carse has remained eligible for selection by Durham and contributed to their recent County Championship victory. His absence from England's squad, however, continues as the police investigation proceeds.

England will aim to complete a 3-0 whitewash against Pakistan in the final Test. The squad announced for Edgbaston keeps the bowling group stable around the players who delivered the series-winning performances in the first two matches.

Baker's retention underlines England's confidence in the replacement who stepped in at Lord's. With Fisher released and Carse still under investigation, the pace options for the third Test will be drawn from the remaining members of the 15-man group.

The ECB's decision ensures that the focus remains on the cricket as England close out the series. Carse's future with the national side will depend on the outcome of the police inquiry and subsequent assessments by the selectors