Joe Root has firmly denied that a "drinking culture" exists within the England dressing room. While stepping in as the interim captain for the second Test against New Zealand at The Oval, the veteran campaigner publicly pushed back against Managing Director Rob Key’s proposal of a complete alcohol ban.
Notably, regular skipper Ben Stokes and fast bowler Gus Atkinson were axed from the second Test squad after breaching a newly implemented midnight curfew. They were present at a Chelsea nightclub when an altercation broke out with a rugby player, leaving an England security officer requiring stitches.
The English squad also faced immense scrutiny during their 4-1 Ashes series defeat in Australia over reports of heavy mid-tour drinking during a break in Noosa.
Root takes over the leadership role as ECB investigates the Chelsea nightclub incident that occurred after England's victory in the first Test against New Zealand at Lord's.
Addressing the media on the eve of the second Test, Root admitted that while "mistakes have been made" by individuals, it is not a fair reflection of the dressing room as a whole and there is no harm in having a few drinks to celebrate victories.
“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.
“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 added.
The Chelsea nightclub incident has put the spotlight back on the England dressing room, as the team management was attempting to fix cultural issues from past indiscretions. It remains to be seen if Stokes reclaims his place in the Test squad as captain going forward.
England squad for second Test vs New Zealand: Joe Root (c), Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Sonny Baker, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Jordan Cox, Ben Duckett, Matthew Fisher, Emilio Gay, James Rew, Ollie Robinson, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue
