Ben Stokes admitted that he can’t remain sober for the rest of his life, but has developed a bit of restraint with respect to alcohol. Stokes also spoke about the psychological effects of alcohol usage as he prepares himself for a huge Test season with India series at home, followed by the Ashes.
Alcohol has had a strange relationship with cricket and cricketers. Beer pints are the first thing seen in players’ hands after the game is done and champagne is splashed around in celebrations when the trophies are lifted but cricket is a lonely sport. The higher pedestal a cricketer is put on the moment he/she is experiencing the highest of highs, they are removed from that pedestal even quicker and are not even spared a hand to get up. One of the best cricketers of this generation, Ben Stokes, has been through it and has learned his lessons the hard way.
Stokes, who is raring to go after a long rehab from a second hamstring tear in less than six months, hasn’t had a drop of alcohol since January 2. However, he was quick to add that he would be having it a week later (after the Zimbabwe Test) because the promise was until he gets back onto the field following the rehab and recovery. But at least the promise is kept. Stokes admitted that his relationship with his alcohol wasn’t the best at the start but has improved and he has learned control over time.
“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,'” Stokes said on Untapped Podcast.
“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 added, saying that it was all or nothing for him at the start.
The Bristol brawl incident in 2018 didn’t help his image but he admitted that he wasn’t a social drinker like having just one pint or having one glass of wine which his wife used to complain but the complaints have reduced and he has slowly improved at being a social drinker.
“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.
“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,” he added.
Stokes will hope that he can get through the Test season injury free given it is a huge year for England as far as red-ball cricket is concerned given the five-match series at home against India, followed by the away Ashes series.
