Ben Stokes' future as England Test captain is in trouble. Stokes has come under investigation by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) following an undisclosed nightclub incident involving teammate Gus Atkinson. The incident took place after England's 115-run victory over New Zealand in the first Test at Lord's.
ECB, in a statement, said that it is looking into a possible "breach of team protocols after the two were present at a nightclub in the early hours of Monday."
The board is gathering more information before deciding on the next steps. "We are currently seeking further information, and an announcement regarding the squad for the second Test will be made in due course," the statement read. This means Stokes and Atkinson might miss the second Test, starting at The Oval on June 17.
The incident, as per ESPNcricinfo, involved players from Saracens Rugby Club, who were present as part of their end-of-season celebrations. The report added that a disagreement between Atkinson and an unnamed academy player triggered the whole thing. Saracens also confirmed that "an academy player connected to [the club] had been involved in an incident on Sunday," the report added.
The timing is particularly damaging given Ben Stokes' post-match comment. After England's Lord's victory, Stokes had publicly spoken about wanting to share a beer with his teammates to celebrate. “I won't be really happy until I get to share a beer with the boys.” The controversy has also brought attention back to England's team protocols. The incident comes after discussions around player discipline and off-field conduct, with the board previously introducing stricter measures for players.
Not The First Time
This is not the first time Stokes has faced scrutiny over an off-field incident. In 2017, he was involved in an incident outside a Bristol nightclub, which led to him missing the Ashes tour later that year, reported The Guardian. He was later cleared of an affray charge in 2018.
Stokes, who has led England's Test side since 2022, is one of the team's most influential players. Under his captaincy, England adopted an aggressive approach in the longest format of the game alongside head coach Brendon McCullum, often called ‘Bazball'.
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