Ben Stokes: ‘I am with my players…’ England captain Ben Stokes broke his silence after the liquor scandal, defended the team

Ben Stokes on England players’ drinking controversey: Things are becoming increasingly difficult for the England cricket team in the Ashes 2025-26. The team was already under criticism after poor performance on the field and losing the first three tests, now the controversy related to the players’ liquor party has also come into the limelight. Questions raised regarding the team’s behavior during the Australia tour have once again put England cricket in the dock.

Amidst this entire controversy, England captain Ben Stokes has openly come out in support of his team. In the press conference before the Melbourne Test, Stokes made it clear that in the current situation, his biggest focus is on the well-being and mental state of the players, and not on external noise.

Ben Stokes gave a big statement

Ben Stokes said in the press conference that as a captain, the most important thing for him at this time is to take care of his players. According to Stokes, such controversies can have a deep impact on people and he himself has gone through such an experience. He said that as England captain, his job is to keep the players as safe as possible and to make sure that they feel that the captain stands with them.

Emphasis laid on supporting the players

Stokes clearly said that the most important thing for him at the moment is a group of players, whom he has to put in better condition for the rest of this tour. He believes that if the players feel mentally strong and have confidence that the captain is with them, then only they will be able to go on the field and try to perform.

Liquor scandal and viral video created ruckus

Between the second and third Test, pictures and videos related to some players drinking alcohol went viral on social media. These videos were promoted as ‘Stag Do’, in which some players were seen drinking alcohol. Especially after a video of Ben Duckett surfaced, the matter became more serious, after which the England Cricket Board has started an investigation regarding the drinking culture of the team.

After the series defeat, now keep an eye on the remaining matches

Under the captaincy of Ben Stokes, the England cricket team has already lost the Ashes 2025-26 series by losing the first three tests. Questions are constantly being raised on the team’s playing style and strategy. Now the next goal of Ben Stokes and the England team is to perform better in the remaining two Test matches of the series, so that the tour can be ended in a respectable manner and the attention can be diverted from the controversies going on off the field.