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The current Ashes 2025-2026 the tour took a dramatic turn for Englandshifting the focus from on-field struggles to off-field conduct. In the aftermath of Australia hold off Ashes emphatically, England opener Ben Duckett became the subject of controversy after a video allegedly showing him drunk went viral on social media. The clip sparked widespread debate and prompted the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to launch an internal investigation into the team’s behavior during a scheduled mid-series break.
England’s campaign in Australia has already been marked by heavy defeats and mounting criticism, and this latest episode has only intensified scrutiny of a team struggling to cope with pressure on and off the field.
Ben Duckett’s Drunk Video Goes Viral
The incident dates back to a four-day break taken by the England team in Noosa, Queensland, between the second and third Tests. The break was sanctioned as a window of recovery after England slipped to a 2-0 deficit early in the series. Instead, reports suggest the trip turned to excess, with allegations of excessive drinking quickly making headlines.
The video, which surfaced on Dec. 23, appears to show Duckett outside a shopping area, visibly unstable and engaging the public. During an exchange, he struggles to answer a simple question about finding his hotel. Another moment shows a fan mocking England’s poor form, prompting an angry verbal response from the batter. The interaction, filmed on a cell phone, quickly spread across all platforms, sparking heavy criticism from former players and fans.
Here is the video:
What is this Ben Duckett behavior😭😭. He was completely crazy after drinking a lot. Disappointing attitude. We have to be serious. pic.twitter.com/KVsCbv73jX
– Aryan Goel (@Aryan42832Goel) December 23, 2025
ALSO WATCH: Rohit Sharma takes cheeky dig at England after their poor show in Ashes 2025-2026
ECB opens investigation
The timing of the video proved particularly damaging. A few hours earlier, the director general of cricket in England Rob Key had publicly acknowledged concerns about player conduct during the Noosa break and promised to look into the matter. England then lost the third Test in Adelaide, conceding the Ashes 3–0 and leaving the rest of the series without a competitive advantage.
Sources within English cricket say the ECB is treating the issue seriously, with a focus on maintaining professional standards on overseas tours. Although no disciplinary action has yet been confirmed, the board’s response is expected to set a precedent for future conduct policies.
Duckett’s struggles add fuel to the fire
On the field, Duckett’s performance did little to alleviate the pressure. Opening the batting, he has managed just 97 runs in the series so far, averaging a modest 16.16 with a highest score of 29. His struggles against Australia’s fast-paced attack mirrored the wider collapse of England’s batting, making the off-field images even more uncomfortable for the team management.
This is not the first time Duckett has faced controversy in Australia. During the 2017–18 Ashes tour, he was provisionally suspended after pouring a drink over his teammate’s head. James Andersonan incident that had previously raised questions about his judgment on tour.
