Former England fast bowler Stuart Broad has dismissed suggestions that the current England cricket team has a drinking problem, despite a series of high-profile incidents involving alcohol over the past winter.

Broad, who played 244 times for England between 2006 and 2023, made the comments on his For the Love of Cricket podcast, addressing media reports surrounding captain Harry Brook and other players during tours of New Zealand and Australia.

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Incidents Prompting Media Attention

During England’s recent tours:

• Brook was fined following an altercation with a bouncer in New Zealand.
• Photographs surfaced of players drinking over multiple days during a mid-Ashes break in Noosa, Australia.

While these incidents have generated headlines, Broad believes they reflect individual mistakes rather than a widespread drinking culture within the squad.

“They’ve just had a couple of guys who have made mistakes and that’s got into the media,” Broad said.
“I think it’s up to your teammates to get you out of those situations, and that’s when your culture’s really strong.”

He emphasized that team culture ensures players are supported and protected from risky situations. For example, he noted:

“Ben Duckett isn’t left alone; no idea where his hotel is. Harry Brook doesn’t get himself in a situation with a bouncer, because they’re not allowed anywhere near that situation.”

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Curfews: A Step Too Far?

There has been speculation that England might impose a midnight curfew on players, but Broad suggested this would be excessive.

“I really didn’t like having a 12 o’clock curfew when I played, because I just didn’t feel like you should need it,” he said.
“As long as you have people around you to get yourself home at a suitable hour, having teammates around you to say your time’s up is enough.”

Broad argued that the England squad is not a party-driven team, citing examples from past and present players:

• Ollie Pope, Zak Crawley, Ben Stokes, Joe Root – “They’re not really drinkers… not party animals going out tearing it to shreds.”

“There isn’t a drinking culture. I’ll hang my hat on that, knowing the boys as well as I do. But it is just making sure the boys don’t get in trouble when situations arise.”

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The Mental Health Perspective

Broad highlighted the importance of mental release for international cricketers, who spend months away from home in hotels.

“As an international player, you need some sort of release. If you don’t have that mental switch-off… it drives you mad if you don’t do anything,” he said.

He contrasted this with footballers, noting that cricketers face particularly long and repetitive periods away from home.

“Twelve o’clock, you’re not really getting to that time that often, but if you win, you deserve to probably go and relax and enjoy yourself.”

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Jos Buttler on Professionalism and Optics

England wicketkeeper-batter Jos Buttler, who will play under Brook in upcoming white-ball fixtures, added that players must maintain professionalism and awareness:

“A lot of it is optics as well. Your teammates look after you, and you have to look after yourself. You can’t just go and do whatever you want. You’re professional; you have to live a professional life, which the boys do, and you have to make it look that way as well.”

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England’s Upcoming Tour and T20 World Cup

England started their white-ball tour of New Zealand on 18 October 2025, followed immediately by the Ashes series from 23 November to 7 January. They will now tour Sri Lanka from 22 January, playing ODIs and T20 internationals, leading into the T20 World Cup starting 8 February 2026, which could last up to a month.

Broad and Buttler’s comments underline the importance of balancing professional responsibility with mental well-being for international cricketers, while dispelling myths about a widespread drinking culture in the England team.