Ben Stokes warns cricket's drinking culture, eyes coaching

In his first interview since retiring from international cricket in late June, former England captain Ben Stokes addressed the sport's relationship with alcohol and voiced concerns about his successor while reaffirming his decision to step away from the national team. Stokes spoke at length on a podcast hosted by former teammates Stuart Broad and Jos Buttler on August 4.

Stokes directly refuted the suggestion that his England team had a drinking problem, calling that an extreme allegation. He asserted, however, that cricket as a whole maintains a pervasive drinking culture that has failed to evolve alongside the game’s increased professionalism. "One thing that has just stayed within cricket is its relationship with alcohol, from club cricket it works its way up," Stokes said. He acknowledged his own past "potentially dangerous" relationships with alcohol but stated that was different for him now. Despite recent scrutiny over team conduct, including a mid-Ashes trip to Noosa, Stokes said he had no regrets about that decision.

On the topic of leadership, Stokes expressed full support for his close friend Joe Root, who has been reinstalled as Test captain alongside new coach...