London, June 10 (IANS) Former England skipper Michael Vaughan believes Ben Stokes’ involvement in a late‑night incident at a London nightclub should not cost him the Test captaincy, even as the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the Cricket Regulator investigate the matter.
Stokes and his teammate, fast bowler Gus Atkinson, broke the team’s midnight curfew while celebrating their 115-run victory over New Zealand in the first Test into the early hours of Monday.
They were present in a nightclub when a member of England’s security staff was struck by a Saracens rugby player, Totoa Avuaa, leaving the staffer bloodied and requiring medical treatment.
“Yes, Ben Stokes broke a curfew. Yes, he made a mistake. But is that a sacking offence as England’s Test captain? I do not think so. Stokes has a lot of credit in the bank for all he has done for England as captain and all-rounder. There is no way that those making the big decisions at the England and Wales Cricket Board have the same credit in the bank.
“We are now at the stage that they either put their necks on the block and say, ‘Right, we are sacking you for that offence,’ or they back him and move on. The ECB is hoping Stokes decides on its behalf. But it has to be brave enough and strong enough to do what it thinks is right. If that is to sack him, then fine, but I do not agree with that decision on this issue,” wrote Vaughan in his column for The Telegraph on Wednesday.
The ECB later confirmed in a statement that Stokes and Atkinson had breached team protocols by being present at the nightclub. Both players remain under investigation, but the governing body has denied any suggestion that Stokes has been asked to resign.
Stokes, 35, has been given time to consider his options, with England expected to name their squad for the second Test on Thursday, with the game to be played from June 17-21 at The Oval.
“A short suspension would be fine, but this is not a big enough incident over which to lose the captaincy. I know he was involved in the Bristol incident, but that was nearly 10 years ago, and I do not remember him getting in a pickle since then. With that in mind, I do not see how you can tell Stokes he is not captain anymore just for going over the curfew by a couple of hours after a win.
“I also do not buy the fact that he will have lost respect in the dressing room or will struggle to impose authority in the future. Did Harry Brook, as white-ball captain, lose the respect of his players after the Wellington incident? No. In fact, England were telling us how well he had bounced back and captained at the Twenty20 World Cup,” added Vaughan.
The controversy comes after a troubled Ashes tour of Australia, where off‑field drinking incidents involving Harry Brook, Jacob Bethell, Josh Tongue, and Ben Duckett led to the imposition of a midnight curfew. Stokes broke the curfew on his first appearance since it was introduced.
“The ECB set the precedent in the winter by allowing Brook, Jacob Bethell, and Josh Tongue to play on after they were out late in Wellington, so that policy can hardly change now. Are the players issued with a code of conduct book before the summer that details exactly what the curfew is and when it is in effect? If so, there are no excuses. If not, then that is a huge oversight of management.
“If he is suspended for the next two Tests, then Stokes will open the door to an England team playing without him, and there is a possibility they could be better. It happens. The England team are under a huge amount of pressure next week at the Oval. All the questions will be about drinking again, and Stokes has brought that on them.
“If Brook captains in his place and handles it well, then the hierarchy will have a big decision to make. Brook is clearly close to the head coach, Brendon McCullum. The T20 side looks well run under those two. I would think England are still going to need Stokes’s bowling.
“He is one of England’s best bowlers, and his tactical display at Lord’s again highlighted how good a captain he is when he is at his best. England need to think very carefully, but if they suspend him, which is what they did not do to Brook, then it opens the door for us to see how the team operates without him.
“It did not go very well against India at the Oval last year, when Stokes was missing with injury, but you just never know. That is the risk you take when you screw up and end up suspended,” concluded Vaughan.
–IANS
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