‘Cricketers need to understand right times to drink’

Cricket does not have an alcohol problem but players “need to understand the time to have a drink and the time not to”, says former England captain Alec Stewart.

Discussion around drinking dominated this winter’s Ashes series in Australia with the behaviour of England’s players heavily scrutinised during their 4-1 defeat in the Tests.

The England and Wales Cricket Board investigated reports of players drinking excessively during a mid-series trip to Noosa, while white-ball captain Harry Brook was punched by a nightclub bouncer the night before a one-day match in New Zealand in November.

“Alcohol will not improve anyone’s performance so this is why the education is so important,” said Stewart, currently director of cricket at Surrey.

“People aren’t going to just live like monks and be completely teetotal, but people need to understand the time to have a drink and the time not to.

Stewart was speaking after being announced as the new president of the Cricketers’ Trust charity, which provides support to current and former players and their families around their health and wellbeing.

He was also suggested as a potential candidate to replace England’s managing director Rob Key, though Key is expected to be given the chance to improve England’s fortunes.

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

The charity has released a new report to outline its work, including providing mental health support to 239 current and former professional cricketers over the past five years. There has been a 33% increase in therapy sessions from 667 in 2024 to 889 in 2025.

The report references eight cases of players going into “residential rehabilitation” – receiving treatment in specialist facilities at which they can stay for a period of time supported financially by the trust – for various issues including to alcohol, anxiety, gambling and substance abuse.

Speaking about the high-profile discussion around alcohol this winter, former batter Ian Thomas who now works at the Professional Cricketers’ Association and is a Cricketers’ Trust trustee said: “We’ve continued to work hard on the education front.

“It’s something that’s in everyday life in society, but there is a responsibility for athletes and cricketers to make the right choices at the right times and that’s what our education was about.

“We’re still going to have people make the wrong choices and we’re still going to have human error.

“The biggest part for us if that does happen is that we’re able to pick them up.”

The report says more than half of the issues affecting players relate to low mood, anxiety and emotional support.

“We’ve got to make sure the support mechanisms are in place and that individuals are not afraid to actually put a hand up and say I’m struggling,” Stewart said.