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Former England captain Michael Vaughan has strongly supported Ben Stokes amid the latest controversy amid the ongoing crucial three-match Test against New Zealand on home soil.
Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson reportedly broke the England national cricket team’s curfew after the team’s 115-run win in the opening match of the three-match Test series against New Zealand at Lord’s. After the incident Geoffrey Boycott demanded ‘suspension’ for Stokes.
Matters took a turn for the worse when an argument allegedly turned into a physical confrontation, bringing Stokes under fresh scrutiny. The incident has left many wondering whether the England captain should face strict action, but Vaughan is against the idea.
Michael Vaughan rejects calls to sack Ben Stokes after curfew row
Michael Vaughan has admitted that breaking team rules is not ideal, but it should not cost Ben Stokes the captaincy. The former captain has said that Stokes has done so much for England over the years that he should be judged on the basis of just one incident.
Michael Vaughan, in his column for The Telegraph, wrote: “Yes, Ben Stokes broke curfew. Yes, he made a mistake. But does that merit dismissal as England Test captain? I don’t think so. A lot of credit goes to the bank for what Stokes has done for England as captain and all-rounder.”
Amidst the chaos, Harry Brook became the world number one Test batsman. He also believes that the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) should take responsibility for making clear decisions.
Vaughan urges ECB to support Ben Stokes
Vaughan has stressed that if the punishment cannot be ignored then Stokes could be considered for a short suspension, but his mistakes are not so big that he should lose the captaincy. He also believes that experienced players can make mistakes and still remain strong leaders inside the dressing room.
“There’s no way the big decision-makers at the ECB have the same credibility at the bank,” Vaughn added. “We’re at the stage now where they either stick their neck out and say, “Okay, we’re sacking you for that crime,” or they support it and move on.
The ECB expects Stokes to take the decision on its behalf. But he has to be courageous and strong enough to do what he thinks is right. If he has to be fired then fine, but I do not agree with that decision on this issue. A short-term suspension would be fine, but it is not such a big incident that the captaincy can be lost.
Vaughan dismisses dressing room respect concerns
The former England captain also questioned how the ECB could remove Stokes from the captaincy. He rejected the notion that Stokes would lose the respect of his teammates because of the episode, saying that experienced players remain strong leaders inside the dressing room despite mistakes.
Vaughan said, “I don’t understand how you can tell Stokes that he is no longer captain because he went to curfew for a few hours after the win. I also don’t buy into the fact that he has lost respect in the dressing room or will struggle to impose authority in the future.”
He also believes that England needs the same calm and confident Ben Stokes, who changed the attitude of the team after becoming the captain. The cricket pundit also pointed out that too much pressure and frustration can affect both leadership and performance on the field.
Vaughan urged the England team management and the ECB to put Stokes back in the position ‘like when he first started as captain.’ He admitted that the all-rounder would be worried about his batting and he is under pressure.
The Englishman also expressed concern about Stokes’ eye injury which he suffered earlier this year. He suggested that if Stokes is not seeing the ball as clearly as before, it could affect his batting, but only the England captain himself knows the real situation.