Former England captain Ben Stokes has reacted humorously on social media to the anti-corruption controversy involving the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). Responding to reports of an ICC investigation into his dressing room retirement video, Stokes said he should be sacked for the incident.
Stokes has retired from international cricket During the Third Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge, England lost by 160 runs on Monday, 29 June. The 35-year-old finished his Test career with 7,273 runs and 252 wickets in 122 matches, establishing himself as one of England’s greatest all-rounders.
Sack him – Ben Stokes jokes about ECB anti-corruption controversy
The controversy began when the ECB shared a video of Ben Stokes announcing his retirement in front of England players during the fourth day of the Trent Bridge Test against New Zealand. The ICC later wrote to the ECB, alleging that releasing footage of the dressing room during the match was a breach of its anti-corruption rules.
Responding to a Telegraph Sport post on the issue about the issue, Stokes made light of the situation with a humorous response. The former England captain joked about the controversy, writing “Sack him…”, after reports claimed the ICC had raised concerns over the video being released during the match.
Fire him… https://t.co/LYQ5ZlYqDE
– Ben Stokes (@benstokes38) July 9, 2026
In his speech to his team-mates, Stokes said: “I know something is going to happen in the next two days, that is going to happen [that] These are my last two days as your captain, and my last two days representing England.”
ICC questions ECB regarding dressing room footage
According to a BBC report, the ICC has written to the ECB alleging that the release of Ben Stokes’ dressing room retirement video during the Trent Bridge Test is a violation of its anti-corruption rules. The governing body raised concerns because the footage was published while the match was still in progress.
The ICC said Article 2.2.11 of the PMOA Minimum Standards prohibits recording and broadcasting audio from team dressing rooms during international matches. It had already informed the ECB that any dressing room footage should not include audio or be released before the end of the match.
The PMOA rules are designed to protect players and support the ICC Anti-Corruption Code. Although the ECB has not commented on the matter, reports suggest that the board is unlikely to face any disciplinary action.
Harry Brook leads the race to replace Ben Stokes
England will now begin the search for a new Test captain ahead of the three-match series against Pakistan in August. The retirement of Ben Stokes after taking charge for more than four years has left a big leadership position vacant in the team.
Harry Brook has emerged as the leading candidate to replace Stokes. He is currently captaining England in the ongoing T20I series against India, where the hosts lead 2-0 with the fourth match to be played in Bristol.
Stokes left an illustrious record as England’s Test captain. Since taking over in 2022, he has led England to 24 wins in 44 Test matches with head coach Brendon McCullum, helping transform the team’s aggressive approach to red-ball cricket.