table of contents
The Ben Stokes incident has created massive controversy in the cricket world. Due to the nightclub incident, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) dropped both Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson from the squad.
Former South African fast bowler Dale Steyn has raised the question whether any board should interfere in the life of a cricketer outside the field. During an online conversation with his former teammate AB de Villiers, Steyn said that cricketers also need personal space like other normal humans.
English cricket is surrounded by controversies
England cricketers have been found in many controversial situations off the field in recent times. Stoke itself has been involved in controversial incidents on more than one occasion. The drinking habit of English cricketers was in the news during the tour of New Zealand and Australia.
The ECB has taken several steps to maintain the focus on performance; He spoke to head coach Brendon McCullum and captains Ben Stokes and Harry Brook, but does it matter? As soon as news of Stokes’ involvement in the nightclub incident surfaced on media platforms, concerns increased again.
Should cricket boards allow their players to move around freely?
During online conversation, Dale Steyn says that like every other person, cricketers also need personal time. They can go to the places they want to visit to refresh their mind. “In that, you know, we’re human beings, you know we’re no different than every other person who goes to work every day and earns his money so he can go and have a good time with his friends.”
“Maybe on Friday at the tennis club, maybe at the paddle club and then have a few beers. Some people like to go out for a night of music and dancing. I don’t know, you know,” the former cricketer said in an online chat.
“People, you know, so there’s a human element to it. Um where I think if you start to walk away from grown adult men, they’re going to rebel and they’re going to find ways to do that. You know, that’s just what happens um, then there’s a professional side of it where if you know, you’re on your ultimatum and you have as much um, I wouldn’t say power but authority uh maybe is a better word that motivates him,” Dale Steyn found in his Expressed concern.
Cricketers also need freedom – Dale Steyn challenges Ben Stokes
: Cricketers are normal people who deserve personal time, but senior players like Ben Stokes must be extra careful as they are always in the spotlight. He also defended the players by saying that they cannot control… pic.twitter.com/CBvZFPs7Kt
– Sam (@cricsam02) June 13, 2026
Dale Steyn also expressed concern over the choice of Ben Stokes
Dale Steyn further explains that professional cricketers should behave more sensibly off the field. Whether it was safe for a player to go to a night club is a questionable decision by the former fast bowler.
“You need to be a little bit smarter in terms of where you’re going and what you’re doing. You can’t even predict what’s going to happen with other people, I mean, I wasn’t that famous in that sense.
“But I remember being out once or twice and people would look at you and say, oh, that’s the guy man, I’ll buy those guys a round of drinks, I’d be walking by holding that thing and some guy would just come up and elbow me with my drink spilling all over the place. No guys bring that out of themselves. There’s no doubt about that,” Dale Steyn shared the incidents as examples.
