Ben Stokes’ future as England’s cricket captain is hanging by a thread after the ECB revealed he’s under investigation for a nightclub incident, along with teammate Gus Atkinson. Reports say the episode involved a Saracens rugby player and happened in the early hours of Monday, right after England’s victory in the first Test against New Zealand at Lord’s. It’s just the latest controversy to hit the England squad, who are already under fire for reports of a drinking culture during their tour of Australia—a tour that ended with a heavy 4-1 loss in the Ashes this January.
Neither Stokes nor Atkinson got hurt, but players from Saracens rugby club were there too, celebrating the end of their season. The ECB is pretty clear: there was a breach of team protocols, and it’s serious enough that they’re considering taking the captaincy from Stokes. ESPNCricinfo even reports that the board is weighing up whether to replace him.
If that happens, vice-captain Harry Brook, who already leads England’s white-ball teams, could take over for the second Test at the Oval. That would be a wild turnaround for Brook. Not long ago, he was fined and called out for late-night drinking and an argument with a bouncer before captaining England in a one-day international in Wellington.
The ECB released a statement on Monday confirming the investigation: “Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson were present at a nightclub in the early hours of Monday morning when an incident took place. We’re seeking further information, and we’ll announce the squad for the second Test once we know more.”
Britain’s Daily Telegraph reported that Saracens players were out celebrating their season finale, and the club later confirmed one of their academy players was involved in the incident. “We’re aware of the situation and in contact with everyone involved,” the club said. “We’re sorting out the facts before we decide what comes next.”
On the field, Stokes led England to a big win over New Zealand, with Atkinson taking 5-30 in the second innings. This Test was supposed to mark a new start for England after their tough Ashes campaign, but off-field drama seems to follow the team wherever they go.
Brook’s run-in with nightclub trouble in Wellington was what led England to put in a midnight curfew for players and staff—a rule that’s still in place now. That decision came after the England squad’s behavior in Noosa, Australia got plenty of negative attention. Videos surfaced of Ben Duckett looking pretty drunk, fueling rumors of a team drinking problem. Both Rob Key, England’s director of cricket, and head coach Brendon McCullum dismissed those claims.
Stokes turned 35 during this first Test, and after the win, he said, “I’m not going to lie, I’m very happy we won this week. I knew how much this game meant and how bad things would look if we didn’t get the result. I won’t be really happy until I get to share a beer with the boys.”
It’s worth remembering—this isn’t Stokes’ first brush with trouble at a nightclub. Back in 2017, he was charged with affray after another late-night incident in Bristol.
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