Former England captain Ben Stokes has spoken candidly about cricket’s long-standing relationship with alcohol, insisting that the sport’s drinking culture is not unique to England. The all-rounder said it is unfair to single out the English team, arguing that alcohol has remained deeply embedded in cricket across all levels for generations.

The debate around drinking in English cricket resurfaced during the recent Ashes series after reports claimed that several players were involved in binge-drinking sessions. The controversy intensified when opener Ben Duckett was reportedly seen intoxicated during England’s mid-series break in Noosa, drawing widespread criticism and raising questions about the team’s off-field discipline.

Stokes himself also came under scrutiny after celebrating England’s Lord’s Test victory over New Zealand with fast bowler Gus Atkinson. The pair were later involved in a nightclub incident with an academy rugby player and were subsequently left out of the squad for the second Test.

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Speaking on the For the Love of Cricket podcast, Ben Stokes rejected the suggestion that England alone has a drinking problem. “No. That is such an extreme thing to put on a team. But I think cricket has a drinking culture and it has not changed. We are in 2026 now, where the game has gone more professional over the years.”

He further explained that alcohol has remained a constant part of cricket despite the sport’s rapid professional evolution. “But one thing that has just stayed within cricket is its relationship with alcohol; from club cricket, it works its way up. It stays there and is embedded within the sport. That is the relationship between alcohol and cricket; it hasn’t moved on as the game has become more professional.”

🔴 STOP BLAMING ENGLAND – CRICKET ALCOHOL CULTURE IS BIGGER PROBLEM 🤯

🎙️: Ben Stokes denied that England has a drinking problem, saying it’s not just the England team – cricket itself has long had a culture closely associated with alcohol.

He added that while the sport has… pic.twitter.com/1nk2CVrxXO

— Sam (@cricsam02) August 4, 2026

Stokes also reflected on his own past struggles with alcohol. In 2017, he was arrested following a late-night altercation in Bristol after England’s ODI against the West Indies, an incident that significantly impacted his career.

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Highlighting how modern cricket has embraced sports science, nutrition and fitness, Ben Stokes concluded that alcohol remains one area where little has changed.

“There is more science and medicine, more nutritional information, more this and that. One thing that has been a constant and has been for a very long time is the relationship with alcohol,” Ben Stokes said.