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The Guardian
18-05-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Ben Stokes quits alcohol to help hamstring injury rehabilitation
Ben Stokes has stopped drinking alcohol during his latest injury rehabilitation in an effort to be firing on all cylinders for England this summer. The Test captain is set to make his comeback on Thursday in the one-off Test against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge, having been sidelined since December after tearing his left hamstring in New Zealand. He rushed back from a similar injury last year but his recovery this time after an operation has been painstakingly managed and Stokes has left no stone unturned to fulfil his vow to return in peak physical condition. Speaking to the Untapped podcast, the 33-year-old said: 'After my first major injury, I remember the shock of it, after the initial adrenaline had stopped, thinking: 'How has this happened? We did have a bit of a drink four or five nights ago, could that have played a part? It wouldn't have helped.' 'Then I was like: 'OK, I need to start changing what I do.' I don't think I'll ever be completely sober but I've not had a drink since 2 January. I said to myself: 'Not until I finish my injury rehab and get back on the field.' I think the day I wake up and can't be bothered to do the training programme is getting towards that time you don't really want it any more. But I haven't got any interest in stopping. 'It's just getting harder to do everything. Hence why now I feel like I have to work so much harder away from the field, in the gym and all that kind of stuff to just give me the best chance of being out there to perform. But I'll keep going as long as I possibly can.' Stokes, who is hoping to play a full role as an all-rounder against Zimbabwe, revealed his relationship with alcohol is much changed compared with when he was younger. A talking point in Stokes's much-publicised court case, where he was found not guilty of affray, was on how much he had consumed during a night out in Bristol that ended in a street brawl in 2017. Cricket and alcohol have been – occasionally uncomfortable – bedfellows at every level historically but Stokes said he and many others have had to adapt to the increasing standards in the professional game. Stokes said: 'I can have a social drink now. It used to drive my wife, Clare, mad that I would just be all or nothing. If we'd go for a nice dinner, I never really understood why it was so frustrating to her but all she wanted to do is share a glass of wine with her husband. Now I get it. I can appreciate it for what it is, not just to get me pissed. Sign up to The Spin Subscribe to our cricket newsletter for our writers' thoughts on the biggest stories and a review of the week's action after newsletter promotion 'In the 90s and 00s there were unbelievable stories [about drinking]. It's definitely settled down a lot over the years. The game is more demanding on the body than it was. There's so much more cricket, there's so much more in the schedule that it's just impossible for the body to be able to withstand all of that anyway without the downsides of what a couple of beers at the end of the day can do to you for the next day.'
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Stokes gave up alcohol for latest injury recovery
England Test captain Ben Stokes says he gave up drinking alcohol at the start of the year in the hope the abstinence would help with his recovery from injury. Stokes, 33, had surgery on his left hamstring in December after suffering a tear during the third Test against New Zealand. He was initially ruled out for at least three months but has not yet featured for Durham in the County Championship. England's international summer begins with a one-off Test against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge from 22 May. All-rounder Stokes sustained a similar injury during The Hundred last summer, but he said that he has changed his approach to rehabilitation this time, which included reflection on his relationship with alcohol. "After my first major injury, I remember the shock of it and after the initial adrenaline had stopped I was thinking, 'How has this happened?'" Stokes told the Untapped podcast, hosted by Spencer Matthews. "[I thought] 'We did have a bit of a drink four or five nights ago, could that have played a part?' It wouldn't have helped. "Then I was like 'OK, I need to start changing what I do'." As a result, Stokes said he has not had an alcoholic drink since the beginning of January. He added that it is unlikely that he will ever give up alcohol entirely but that he has learned to manage his behaviour with it. He said that when he was younger, his drinking habits were "all or nothing", whereas he is now able to manage having "a social drink". Rew replaces injured Cox for England Test with Zimbabwe England add NZ great Southee to coaching staff Stokes was found not guilty of affray in a high-profile trial in 2018, after being involved in a fight outside a nightclub in Bristol. He told the court that he had been drinking but was not drunk. In his podcast interview, Stokes described the differences in cricket's drinking culture in today's professional era compared with the past. "In the 90s and 00s, there were unbelievable stories [about drinking]. It's definitely settled down a lot over the years," Stokes said. "The game is more demanding on the body than it was then. "There's so much more cricket, there's so much more in the schedule that it's just impossible for the body to be able to withstand all of that anyway - even without the downsides of what a couple of beers at the end of the day can do to you for the next day." Stokes' recent injury record - which also included knee surgery at the end of 2023 - has led to questions surrounding his future and his ability to play as an all-rounder in England's Test side. But he said he has been fully committed to this latest strict rehabilitation programme and has "no interest in stopping". In recent weeks, Stokes has posted footage on social media that has showed him bowling in training with Durham, and he hopes to play a full role against Zimbabwe. "I think the day I wake up and can't be bothered to do the training programme, that is getting towards the time you don't really want it any more," he said. "But I haven't got any interest in stopping. "It's just getting harder to do everything, hence why now I feel like I have to work so much harder away from the field, in the gym and all that kind of stuff to just give me the best chance of being out there to perform. "But I'll keep going as long as I possibly can." Get cricket news sent straight to your phone
BBC News
18-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Stokes gave up alcohol for latest injury recovery
England Test captain Ben Stokes says he gave up drinking alcohol at the start of the year in the hope the abstinence would help with his recovery from 33, had surgery on his left hamstring in December after suffering a tear during the third Test against New was initially ruled out for at least three months but has not yet featured for Durham in the County international summer begins with a one-off Test against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge from 22 Stokes sustained a similar injury during The Hundred last summer, but he said that he has changed his approach to rehabilitation this time, which included reflection on his relationship with alcohol."After my first major injury, I remember the shock of it and after the initial adrenaline had stopped I was thinking, 'How has this happened?'" Stokes told the Untapped podcast, hosted by Spencer Matthews."[I thought] 'We did have a bit of a drink four or five nights ago, could that have played a part?' It wouldn't have helped."Then I was like 'OK, I need to start changing what I do'." As a result, Stokes said he has not had an alcoholic drink since the beginning of added that it is unlikely that he will ever give up alcohol entirely but that he has learned to manage his behaviour with said that when he was younger, his drinking habits were "all or nothing", whereas he is now able to manage having "a social drink". Stokes was found not guilty of affray in a high-profile trial in 2018, after being involved in a fight outside a nightclub in told the court that he had been drinking but was not his podcast interview, Stokes described the differences in cricket's drinking culture in today's professional era compared with the past."In the 90s and 00s, there were unbelievable stories [about drinking]. It's definitely settled down a lot over the years," Stokes said."The game is more demanding on the body than it was then."There's so much more cricket, there's so much more in the schedule that it's just impossible for the body to be able to withstand all of that anyway - even without the downsides of what a couple of beers at the end of the day can do to you for the next day."Stokes' recent injury record - which also included knee surgery at the end of 2023 - has led to questions surrounding his future and his ability to play as an all-rounder in England's Test he said he has been fully committed to this latest strict rehabilitation programme and has "no interest in stopping".In recent weeks, Stokes has posted footage on social media that has showed him bowling in training with Durham, and he hopes to play a full role against Zimbabwe."I think the day I wake up and can't be bothered to do the training programme, that is getting towards the time you don't really want it any more," he said."But I haven't got any interest in stopping."It's just getting harder to do everything, hence why now I feel like I have to work so much harder away from the field, in the gym and all that kind of stuff to just give me the best chance of being out there to perform."But I'll keep going as long as I possibly can."
Telegraph
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Ben Stokes quits drinking to get fit for Ashes
Ben Stokes has quit alcohol in an effort to be fully fit for England this summer after realising a big night out may have played a part in him suffering a serious hamstring injury in New Zealand last year. Stokes required surgery on his torn hamstring in December, a relapse of an old injury that occurred when he bowled a long spell in the third Test against New Zealand in Hamilton. England had already won the series 2-0 and celebrated their victory in the Wellington Test a few days before the game in Hamilton. Now Stokes is wondering whether those celebrations led to his injury setback and has admitted his use of alcohol has changed. While stopping short of going teetotal for the rest of his career, he says he has not had a drink since the start of the year when he threw himself into rehabilitation from his operation. He makes his playing return at Trent Bridge this week in the one-off Test match against Zimbabwe and is intending to play his full part as an all-rounder as England begin a six-month run that will culminate in the Ashes series in Australia. Speaking to the Untapped podcast, Stokes said: 'After my first major injury, I remember the shock of it, after the initial adrenalin had stopped, thinking, 'How has this happened? We did have a bit of a drink four or five nights ago, could that have played a part? It wouldn't have helped'. 'Then I was like 'OK, I need to start changing what I do'. I don't think I'll ever be completely sober, but I've not had a drink since January 2. I said to myself 'Not until I finish my injury rehab and get back on the field'. 'I think the day I wake up and can't be bothered to do the training programme is getting towards that time you don't really want it anymore. But I haven't got any interest in stopping. 'It's just getting harder to do everything. Hence why now I feel like I have to work so much harder away from the field, in the gym and all that kind of stuff to just give me the best chance of being out there to perform. But I'll keep going as long as I possibly can.' Stokes, who is hoping to play a full role as an all-rounder against Zimbabwe, revealed his relationship with alcohol has evolved over the years, particularly after he was found not guilty of affray following a street brawl in Bristol in 2017. Stokes said: 'I can have a social drink now. It used to drive my wife Clare mad that I would just be all or nothing. 'If we'd go for a nice dinner, I never really understood why it was so frustrating to her but all she wanted to do is share a glass of wine with her husband. Now I get it. I can appreciate it for what it is, not just to get me p----d. 'In the Nineties and 2000s, there were unbelievable stories [about drinking]. It's definitely settled down a lot over the years. 'The game is more demanding on the body than it was. There's so much more cricket, there's so much more in the schedule that it's just impossible for the body to be able to withstand all of that anyway without the downsides of what a couple of beers at the end of the day can do to you for the next day.'
