England’s Test captain Ben Stokes has quit drinking alcohol during his ongoing hamstring injury rehabilitation in an effort to be battle-ready for the upcoming Ashes series against traditional rivals Australia.

The flamboyant cricketer said he gave up drinking at the start of the year in the hope abstinence would hasten his recovery from the injury. The 33-year-old Stokes had surgery on his left hamstring in December after suffering a tear during the third Test against New Zealand, which ruled him out of action for a prolonged period.

“After my first major injury, I remember the shock of it and after the initial adrenaline had stopped I was thinking, ‘How has this happened?'” Stokes told the Untapped podcast.

“(I thought) ‘We did have a bit of a drink four or five nights ago, could that have played a part?’ It wouldn’t have helped.

“Then I was like ‘OK, I need to start changing what I do’.” Stokes tore his hamstring in the Hundred last year and then injured it again during the Test tour of New Zealand.

“I don’t think I’ll ever be completely sober, but I’ve not had a drink since January 2. I said to myself: ‘Not until I finish my injury rehab and get back on the field’.”

Stokes recently unveiled his partnership with zero alcohol spirits company CleanCo, for which he has signed on as an “investor and brand partner”.

The English skipper is set to make his comeback on Thursday in England’s one-off Test against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge.

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