'Cricketers Need To Understand Right Times To Drink'
ByMatthew Henry
BBC Sport Journalist
19 February 2026
Cricket does not have an alcohol problem however gamers "need to understand the time to have a beverage and the time not to", states previous England captain Alec Stewart.
Discussion around drinking controlled this winter season's Ashes series in Australia with the behaviour of England's players heavily scrutinised throughout their 4-1 defeat in the Tests.
The England and Wales Cricket Board investigated reports of players drinking exceedingly during a mid-series trip to Noosa, while white-ball captain Harry Brook was punched by a the night before a one-day match in New Zealand in November.
"Alcohol will not enhance anybody's performance so this is why the education is so important," stated Stewart, currently director of cricket at Surrey.
"People aren't going to just live like monks and be entirely teetotal, however individuals need to understand the time to have a drink and the time not to.
"The greater level you are, the more examination you're under and therefore the sacrifices are higher and therefore be very selective in what you put into your body, whether that is food, whether that is beverage or whatever."
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Stewart was speaking after being revealed as the new president of the Cricketers' Trust charity, which offers support to existing and previous players and their households around their health and health and wellbeing.
He was likewise suggested as a possible candidate to change England's managing director Rob Key, though Key is expected to be offered the possibility to enhance England's fortunes.
Selector Luke Wright left his position after the Ashes and is yet to be changed.
The charity has actually launched a new report to detail its work, consisting of offering mental health support to 239 present and previous professional cricketers over the past 5 years. There has actually been a 33% boost in treatment sessions from 667 in 2024 to 889 in 2025.
The report references eight cases of players going into "domestic rehab" - getting treatment in professional centers at which they can stay for an amount of time supported economically by the trust - for numerous problems including to alcohol, stress and anxiety, gambling and compound abuse.
Speaking about the high-profile conversation around alcohol this winter, previous batter Ian Thomas who now operates 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 daily life in society, but there is a duty for professional athletes and cricketers to make the right choices at the right times and that's what our education had to do with.
"We're still going to have individuals make the incorrect choices and we're still going to have human mistake.
"The greatest part for us if that does occur is that we have the ability to select them up."
The report says majority of the concerns impacting players relate to low state of mind, anxiety and emotional assistance.
"We've got to ensure the assistance mechanisms are in location which individuals are not scared to actually put a hand up and say I'm struggling," Stewart stated.
"It's always existed. It constantly will be there due to the fact that it's such a result-based service. This is where you have actually got to get the balance."
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