Joe Root slams booze-loving Ben Stokes and Co: 'We have to accept that...'

Joe Root refused to believe England has a "drinking culture" that is causing more harm that good and felt there was no need for an alcohol ban on the team in the aftermath of the Ben Stokes nightclub incident in London recently.

England Director of Cricket Rob Key had recently revealed that the ECB was considering imposing an alcohol ban on the team, which had come under fire during the Ashes trip to Australia after players were reported to be drinking heavily during a mid-tour break.

Root disagrees with alcohol ban, urges players to learn from mistakes

Root – who is leading England in Stokes' absence – admits that while players needed to learn from their mistakes, the team should have the freedom to celebrate victories from time to time, even if it meant having a few drinks.

"We have to accept that and move forward from that and learn from that, but I also think that when you work towards something for a long time, there should be opportunities and chances where you can celebrate that and enjoy that with the team," Root told reporters on the eve of the second Test at The Oval.

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"Not everyone drinks anyway within our group, but you should be able to get together and celebrate that and spend that time. And some of my greatest memories and fondest memories have been in the dressing room afterwards," he continued.

Test captain Stokes and pacer Gus Atkinson found themselves embroiled in a major controversy last week after getting involved in an altercation with a Samoan rugby player at a London nightclub while celebrating England's 115-run victory over New Zealand in the first Test at Lord's.

Also Read | Brendon McCullum 'worried' about England Test captain Ben Stokes after nightclub incident

Both players were found guilty of breaching the midnight curfew set in place by the England and Wales Cricket Board in the aftermath of the disastrous Ashes tour, and were subsequently left out of the squad for the second Test at The Oval.

Stokes, who had previously been involved in a nightclub fight in Bristol in 2017, is also considering resigning from Test captaincy and even calling time on his career.

Before the Ashes, which England ended up losing by a 1-4 margin, white-ball captain Harry Brook was involved in an altercation with a nightclub bouncer during the tour of New Zealand.