McCullum: Carse must 'get his house in order' before England return

Head coach's message of responsibility echoed by new team mentor Kevin Pietersen

Brendon McCullum has told Brydon Carse to "get his house in order" or else, warning players will be replaced if their professionalism slips - a message reiterated to the current T20I squad by new mentor Kevin Pietersen.

McCullum was on a 10-day break back home in New Zealand when news came through that Carse had been arrested - and subsequently de-arrested - on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly. The incident took place on a night out in Derby after Durham beat Derbyshire in the County Championship.

Derbyshire Police have since confirmed an ongoing assault investigation connected to the incident. Carse will be subject to an investigation from the Cricket Regulator once the police matter is closed.RelatedFleming to link up with T20I squad in preparation for Test coaching stint

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The 31-year-old was stood down from the Test squad for the Pakistan series and subsequently overlooked for the limited-overs matches against Sri Lanka, which begins on Tuesday with the first of three T20Is. The ECB confirmed Carse was available for selection. His omission came with a statement that he must "work through the issues that led to the Derby incident and take time for a proper reset".

McCullum has long been a fan of Carse, particularly his never-say-die attitude on the field, and has been in contact with the Durham seamer. All 14 of his Test caps to date came under McCullum, with his good friend Ben Stokes, who was also present on the night out in Derby, as captain.

However, he underlined the sentiment that Carse must change his ways after this latest indiscretion. Though Carse finished the Ashes as England's leading wicket-taker, he was one of a number of players indulging off the field. He was spotted out in Adelaide following the Ashes-losing defeat in the third Test, after Stokes had ordered his players to remain at the team hotel.

McCullum used Carse as an example of the standards that need to be met and revealed that notion was reinforced by Pietersen to the players.

"I've spoken to Carsey a lot," said McCullum. "Again, it's the same message, not just to the guys within the squad at the moment, but also to those who have got aspirations of representing England in white-ball cricket over the next 12 to 18 months. We want to play the style of cricket that comes with responsibility, it comes with physical attributes which you need to be ready for. And you need to make good decisions off the field that allow you to be able to be the best version of yourself.

"Kev mention it in the dressing room earlier, as well. He said we need to give ourselves every opportunity to try and get to the level and get to the achievements that we want. And that includes a lot of the responsibilities that we make socially and off the field, too.

"I hope it's crystal clear what is expected… it comes with responsibilities, and that's just life living in the fast lane of international cricket. There is a lot of talent around - if you're not prepared to do that, there are other guys who will be given those opportunities.Jordan Cox, Kevin Pietersen and Brendon McCullum share a lighter moment at training•John Walton/PA Images via Getty Images

"As far as Carsey is concerned, it's important for Carsey he gets his house in order. 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.

"I want us to be the fittest, strongest, most robust, dynamic one-day and T20 side in the world. That comes with hard work, commitment to training, the physical element, but also the high-octane style we want to play comes with responsibilities off the field to look after yourself."

While McCullum is due to welcome newly arrived Test head coach Stephen Fleming to accompany England this weekend for the third T20I in Manchester, it is the appointment of Pietersen that has grabbed the headlines.

Pietersen's role as batting mentor through to the 2027 ODI World Cup is his first official ECB position since an acrimonious end to his international playing career in 2014. He has been a visible presence since joining the current cohort on Sunday, rubbing shoulders with McCullum and Brook while putting batters through their paces.

It was McCullum who reached out to Pietersen, despite previous criticism of McCullum's operation.

In 2025, he accused England of not netting during an India ODI series leading into the Champions Trophy. McCullum was forced to rebuff those claims, which Pietersen brought up when the pair spoke about this opportunity.

McCullum believes Pietersen's decorated career and straight-talking will push the team to greater heights - and keep him on his toes as head coach.

"When I rang him [Pietersen] the first time and said 'would you be interested in working with England?' I think he thought I was joking for a start. Then he mentioned 'I've been quite critical of you guys in the past' and I said 'I have no problem with that, mate'.

"There's parts of it I agree with and parts which I won't agree with - and that's fine. That's the beauty of Kev coming in. He's obviously got an incredible pedigree as a player and a lot of guys grew up idolising Kev.

"He's brought a ton of energy to the setup within the last 24 hours. Him and I talk regularly and, for me, he's one of those guys who's got so much on in his life, for him to give up those things to help this cricket team, to get to the levels we want and where we're challenging for World Cups, we're incredibly lucky.

"I've mentioned to him that I don't want him to be buried in one specific skillset. I want him to look across the environment and challenge me privately around ways we can improve or things we can do differently.

"Kev was an unbelievable player and he was a winner. He was a guy who left no stone unturned in terms of his own preparation. He believed in himself in the big moments and more often than not he performed in those big moments. They are attributes we would love to rub off on our talented players that sit within the dressing room."