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There is panic in the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) after Ben Stokes’ nightclub controversy. Stokes, along with Gus Atkinson, was dropped from the team after a physical altercation with a former rugby player and breaching a team curfew. However, former captains like Nasser Hussain, Mark Butcher and Michael Vaughan supported Ben Stokes and believed that he should not be removed from the captaincy.
England cricket has hit a new low and after the defeat against New Zealand there is more talk about whether managing director Rob Key and head coach Brendon McCullum should continue in their roles after this Test series. Nasser Hussain has now questioned the coaching staff after not supporting Ben Stokes, writing on The Athletic.
He should have supported his captain – Nasser Hussain questions Brendon McCullum’s honesty
Nasser Hussain, in his column on The Athletic, said, “The biggest mistakes were made before the match. Yes, Stokes’ late dismissal, in the context of what had happened before, was unacceptable. But when Key and McCullum went straight to the media, they should have supported their captain, not distanced themselves from him and, in McCullum’s case, only talked about his mental well-being.”
“He should have said: “Until the investigation reveals more about what happened at Chelsea, Stokes is still our captain. He’s effectively been banned for one game which will cost them a loss, but he’s done very well for this team and led them well for four years. He has been there for us and others. We need to be there for him now.”
Ben Stokes and the ECB are not on the same line
However, instead of supporting Ben Stokes, Key and McCullum went straight to the media and said that they were not sure whether Stokes would remain the captain or not, which again shows that the captain and the coach are not on the same page. Two members of the coaching staff gave honest confessions to the media about the incident.
“Key and McCullum’s comments may have come because they believed Stokes was thinking about leaving, but a few days later he was out there playing and giving his all for Durham in the County Championship.”
Nasser Hussain further added that, “He didn’t look like a guy who was going to give everything, as he appeared at the beginning of the week. As captain of England you always know when it’s time to go. It hits you between the eyes.”
He knew he was appointing a person with flaws – Nasser Hussain criticizes Rob Key
The former England captain further said that Rob Key knew that Ben Stokes had many flaws, yet the management decided to hand him the captaincy in the traditional format. Ben Stokes is back in the team and will captain the third and final Test against the Kiwis at Trent Bridge.
He said, “When Key appointed Stokes as England captain he knew he was appointing a man with flaws. What happened at Chelsea was always a risk. But with him comes a huge side that outweighs the bad, as we have seen many times.”
“England have dealt Stokes a harsh rebuke. He is on his last warning. But the side in power need him to continue as England captain and show the world he is still a true leader and world-class all-round cricketer.”
