Ben Stokes, the former England captain who shocked the cricket world by retiring from international play back in June during a Test series against New Zealand, just dropped a truth bomb that should make everyone in the sport sit up and listen.
Is It An “Extreme Thing” Or An Embedded Culture?
Stokes, only 35 years old, didn’t hold back on the “For the Love of Cricket” podcast. He flat out stated, “cricket has a drinking culture and that has not changed.” But get this: he’s quick to shut down any idea that the *England team* itself has a drinking *problem*. “No, that is such an extreme thing to put on a team,” he said. So, what’s the distinction? According to Stokes, it’s about the sport as a whole. He sees a relationship with alcohol that “hasn’t moved on” even as the game got more professional. It’s “embedded within the sport” from club level all the way up.
From Nightclubs to Curfews: Stokes’s Own Journey
This isn’t just some off-the-cuff opinion, either. Stokes’s own career has been linked to these off-field issues. Remember his shock retirement? It came just weeks after he missed an England Test against New Zealand following an incident with bowler Gus Atkinson in a London nightclub. That was one of several episodes for the England squad, leading to a midnight curfew after the Ashes tour and a policy update advising players to avoid booze around match days. Stokes has been down this road before, too, found not guilty of affray in 2018 after a Bristol nightclub fight where he admitted drinking but stated he was not drunk. He even gave up alcohol for a period during injury recovery in 2025, learning to manage his behavior though he feels giving it up entirely is unlikely. He admits his relationship with alcohol has been “potentially dangerous” at times.
A Future England Coach To Shake Things Up?
It’s wild to think that in 2026, a top professional sport could still be grappling with a culture Stokes describes as “the same from the 1980s.” He’s essentially saying cricket, on a fundamental level, has this unchanged, ingrained relationship with alcohol that stands apart from the game’s modern professionalism. You gotta wonder what it means for the sport’s future, especially with a guy like Stokes wanting to lead. The man is already doing his Level 3 coaching while still playing because he dreams of becoming the England national team coach one day. He said he’d “absolutely” love that leadership role off the field. A coach like Stokes, who’s seen it all and isn’t afraid to call out the deep-seated issues, could be exactly what the game needs to finally “move on” from this “embedded” culture.
England’s recent form on the field has been rough, losing 2-1 to New Zealand and getting smacked 4-1 in the Ashes in Australia. They haven’t clinched a Test series since late 2024. With results like that, maybe a change in the culture, led by a candid voice like Stokes from the coaching box, isn’t just a wish but a real necessity. It makes you look forward to seeing if he can actually get that coaching gig and shake things up.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by BBC Sport.
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