All is certainly not well in the England camp, with videos emerging online of two of their stars, Ben Duckett and Jacob Bethell, and their off-field escapades, attracting further scrutiny of the Ben Stokes-led side after they were thumped 3-0 by Australia to concede the Ashes after just 11 days of playing.
One of the videos appears to show Duckett; he seems lost and is confused about how to get back to the hotel room. One of the individuals present is seen cheekily asking if he needs a taxi back to the training ground.
What is this behavior from Ben Duckett? He was completely out of it after drinking heavily. Disappointed attitude. We have to be serious. pic.twitter.com/KVsCbv73jX— Aryan Goel (@Aryan42832Goel) December 23, 2025
As for Bethell, several videos that have surfaced online show the young versatile man vaping, while in another he is seen dancing with an unknown person in a nightclub.
ECB TO INVESTIGATE NOOSA ESCAPADE
Executive Director for Men in England Rob Key said the council would deal with the reports excessive alcohol consumption during the team’s mid-Ashes break in Noosa, although he played down suggestions of serious misconduct.
Key said he had no problem with the planned break between the second and third Tests to help the players rest on the long tour, but made it clear that over-indulgence would not be acceptable. He added that based on the information he has so far, the players have been mostly well-behaved, keeping their activities in check and limiting themselves to eating and drinking occasionally.
The former England opener also confirmed that similar incidents have been reviewed in the past, including social media clips involving Jacob Bethell and Harry Brook, which led to informal warnings rather than formal action.
A statement from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), as reported by ESPNCricinfo, said: “We are aware of the content circulating on social media.
We have high expectations of behavior and recognize that players are often under intense scrutiny, with processes in place to follow when behavior falls short of expectations. We also support players who need help.
We will not comment further at this stage until we have the facts.”
ENGLISH ASHES A NIGHTMARE DOWN UNDER
England’s Ashes campaign in Australia has ended in outright disaster. The visitors were let down in various ways like batting discipline, collapses in crunch situations and more. Despite a few odd moments when they stepped up, England were completely outplayed as they lost three of the five Tests in just 11 days of cricket.
The aggressive approach failed to adapt to Australian conditions, revealing a lack of Test-match temperament. While the bowlers put up a fight, the batsmen consistently gifted wickets, leaving England without a fifth consecutive Ashes series win and facing tough questions about direction, execution and leadership.
– The end
Issued by:
Amar Panicker
Published on:
December 23, 2025
