'Cricketers Need To Understand Right Times To Drink'

ByMatthew Henry
BBC Sport Journalist


19 February 2026


Cricket does not have an alcohol problem but gamers "need to comprehend the time to have a beverage and the time not to", states previous England captain Alec Stewart.


Discussion around drinking controlled this winter's Ashes series in Australia with the behaviour of England's gamers greatly scrutinised during their 4-1 defeat in the Tests.


The England and Wales Cricket Board examined reports of gamers drinking excessively throughout a mid-series journey to Noosa, while white-ball captain Harry Brook was by a bar bouncer the night before a one-day match in New Zealand in November.


"Alcohol will not improve anybody's efficiency so this is why the education is so crucial," stated Stewart, presently director of cricket at Surrey.


"People aren't going to just live like monks and be entirely teetotal, but people require to comprehend the time to have a drink and the time not to.


"The greater level you are, the more analysis you're under and therefore the sacrifices are higher and for that reason be really selective in what you take into your body, whether that is food, whether that is beverage or whatever."


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Stewart was speaking after being announced as the brand-new president of the Cricketers' Trust charity, which offers assistance to present and previous gamers and their households around their health and wellbeing.


He was likewise recommended as a potential candidate to change England's managing director Rob Key, though Key is anticipated to be offered the possibility to enhance England's fortunes.


Selector Luke Wright left his position after the Ashes and is yet to be replaced.


The charity has actually released a brand-new report to outline its work, consisting of offering mental health assistance to 239 current and previous professional cricketers over the previous five years. There has been a 33% increase in therapy sessions from 667 in 2024 to 889 in 2025.


The report referrals 8 cases of gamers going into "domestic rehab" - getting treatment in expert centers at which they can remain for an amount of time supported financially by the trust - for different problems consisting of to alcohol, stress and anxiety, betting and drug abuse.


Discussing the high-profile discussion around alcohol this winter season, previous batter Ian Thomas who now works at the Professional Cricketers' Association and is a Cricketers' Trust trustee stated: "We've continued to strive on the education front.


"It's something that remains in everyday life in society, but there is a duty for athletes and cricketers to make the ideal choices at the best times and that's what our education had to do with.


"We're still going to have people make the incorrect choices and we're still going to have human error.


"The greatest part for us if that does occur is that we're able to select them up."


The report says over half of the issues impacting players connect to low state of mind, anxiety and psychological support.


"We've got to ensure the assistance systems remain in location which people are not scared to really put a hand up and say I'm having a hard time," Stewart stated.


"It's constantly existed. It constantly will be there since it's such a result-based organization. This is where you have actually got to get the balance."


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