Harry Brook believes Brydon Carse “needs time away from the international scene” following a turbulent past few weeks for the England fast bowler.
Carse was handcuffed by officers in Derby on a night out with Durham team-mates last month and it later emerged he had been arrested on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly before being ‘de-arrested’.
A subsequent investigation into an alleged assault in connection with the incident was launched by Derbyshire Police, which confirmed on Friday the case has been closed and the 31-year-old will face no charges.
Carse has continued to play for Durham but he was left out of England’s squads for the third Test against Pakistan earlier this month and the ongoing white-ball series against Sri Lanka.
He is subject to a probe from the independent Cricket Regulator, although the England and Wales Cricket Board has confirmed Carse is available for selection going forwards.
White-ball head coach Brendon McCullum last week called for Carse to “get his house in order” before an England return and Brook believes his team-mate and close friend needs time out of the spotlight.
Asked whether he had spoken to Carse, Brook, England’s ODI and T20 captain, told the BBC: “I’m very good mates with Carsey. I’ve spoken a lot with him. Those conversations are private.
“I think he just needs time away from the international scene. He’s working on a few things behind the scenes and hopefully he’ll be ready at some point in the future.”
Carse was England’s leading wicket-taker during their 4-1 Ashes defeat last winter but he has not featured in any format since then, missing the first half of the English summer because of injury.
The incident involving Carse was the latest in a number of alcohol-related indiscretions from England players, starting with Brook being struck by a bouncer the night before an ODI in New Zealand.
New England Test head coach Stephen Fleming said at the weekend that restoring behavioural “standards” would be as important as results, while McCullum has challenged his limited-overs teams to be the “fittest, strongest, most dynamic, most robust cricket team in the world”.
Ahead of the first ODI against Sri Lanka at the Banks Home Riverside on Tuesday, Brook added: “We should all be role models to everybody in the world, on and off the field.
“Everybody is extremely aware of it now. The words Baz said the other day – we want to be one of the fittest and strongest teams in the world and to be able to do that we need to be preparing well on and off the field.”
PA
