Last Updated:January 12, 2026, 13:24 IST
The ECB may impose strict curfews after England’s Ashes tour was marred by binge drinking and poor discipline.
England players left distraught after losing the Ashes in embarrassing fashion (AFP)
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is weighing up a strict curfew for players after concerns over binge drinking and off-field behaviour during England’s disastrous Ashes tour of Australia.
According to The Times, the move is being discussed ahead of England’s upcoming white-ball tour of Sri Lanka and the T20 World Cup, which runs from February 7 to March 8 in India and Sri Lanka.
The Ashes, which England lost 4–1, has triggered a full internal review — with team culture now firmly under scrutiny.
England’s Boozy Blowout Down Under
Reports emerging from Australia painted an ugly picture. England’s campaign was overshadowed by stories of heavy drinking, repeated casino visits, and a lack of discipline off the field. One particularly damaging claim alleges that between the second and third Tests in Brisbane, members of the touring party spent six days drinking, in scenes described as resembling a “stag do.”
A separate report from The Telegraph added further fuel, revealing that England’s squad stayed at Crown Towers, a luxury hotel inside a major casino complex. Players were reportedly seen frequently at gaming tables and bars — all in full public view of fans and other patrons.
The issues appear to predate the Ashes themselves. England’s white-ball tour of New Zealand was cited as the point where unhealthy habits began forming, with discipline said to be slipping even before Ben Stokes arrived in Australia.
The situation was compounded by news that ODI captain Harry Brook had been involved in an altercation just weeks before the Ashes began.
Not The First Curfew Enforced By ECB
The ECB is now considering stricter controls, including curfews and tighter supervision, as part of a broader reset. It wouldn’t be unprecedented.
Curfews were enforced during the 2017–18 Ashes after the Jonny Bairstow–Cameron Bancroft incident, and again following Stokes’ Bristol nightclub brawl. Ironically, Stokes himself scrapped curfews after becoming captain in 2022.
England play three ODIs and three T20Is in Sri Lanka from January 22 to February 3, before beginning their T20 World Cup campaign on February 8 against Nepal in Mumbai — this time, potentially under much tighter rules.
First Published:
January 12, 2026, 13:24 IST
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