England cricketers' drunken binges during recent 1-4 Ashes drubbing became top headlines.
England lost the Ashes 4-1; however, they managed to end their winless streak in Australia by winning the Melbourne Test in two days.
However, after the Ashes were lost in Adelaide, a few videos of opener Ben Duckett seeming inebriated and Jacob Bethell partying went viral on social media, appearing to be from their trip to Noosa following the loss in Brisbane in the second Test.
Harry Brook apologized after allegations surfaced of his incident with a nightclub bouncer in New Zealand, which resulted in England's Test vice-captain being fined £30,000, following England's defeat in the fifth Test in Sydney.
These instances have raised the likelihood that England's management would reinstate a 12 a.m. curfew when the white-ball side begins its tour of Sri Lanka next week, ahead of the T20 World Cup.
However, Stuart Broad, speaking on The Love of Cricket podcast, cautioned that such tactics could be counterproductive.
"They've just had a couple of guys who have made mistakes, and that's got into the media. I think it's up to your teammates to get you out of those situations, and that's when your culture's really strong.
Ben Duckett isn't left alone; he has no idea where his hotel is. Harry Brook doesn't get himself in a situation with a bouncer because they're not allowed anywhere near that situation. So I think that's the thing that will disappoint Baz [head coach Brendon McCullum],” Broad said on The Love of Cricket podcast.
"I really didn't like having a 12 o'clock curfew, because I just didn't feel like you should need it. As long as you have people around you to get yourself home at a suitable hour, having the teammates around you to go, 'Your time's up,'” Broad stated about reports on ECB putting a curfew on England players.
"I look at this England team; they are not drinking. I have seen loads of things about a drinking culture, but there is not one. (Zak) Crawley, (Ollie) Pope, (Ben) Stokes, and (Joe) Root are not really drinkers. They are not party animals.
Cricketers are away for six months of the year in hotels. [But] there isn't a drinking culture. I'll hang my hat on that, knowing the boys as well as I do. But it is just making sure the boys don't get in trouble when situations arise,” Broad said.
England will now tour Sri Lanka from January 22 for three ODIs and three T20Is before the T20 World Cup 2026 that begins on February 7.