Ben Stokes likely to 'retire' from Test cricket amid nightclub controversy

England Test skipper Ben Stokes could measurement down from the relation and whitethorn adjacent discontinue from cricket pursuing the nightclub contention involving him and teammate Gus Atkinson, according to a study by talkSPORT.The improvement comes aft the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) launched an probe into an incidental involving Stokes and Atkinson astatine a nightclub successful the aboriginal hours of Monday, hours aft England's 115-run triumph implicit New Zealand successful the archetypal Test astatine Lord's.Speaking connected talkSPORT, elder analogous astatine The Cricketer, George Dobell, said helium had been told Stokes could take to locomotion distant himself alternatively than hold for disciplinary action.“I fearfulness from everything I perceive that Stokes is going to enactment first. And, regretfully, I perceive that helium is going to measurement down and perchance adjacent retire."“I deliberation that would beryllium hugely regrettable and I anticipation helium doesn't. I anticipation helium stands and fights his ground, which is the Ben Stokes we know."Stokes is presently England's Test skipper and has been a cardinal fig successful the team's red-ball setup. Though helium present plays lone Test cricket, retiring would bring an extremity to a vocation astatine the apical level that has spanned 15 years.

Some media reports successful the past fewer weeks person besides said that Stokes has drifted isolated from England caput manager Brendon McCullum since the Ashes and whitethorn presumption the latest contention arsenic a constituent to determination connected from the role.Another possibility, according to a Cricinfo report, is that Stokes could instrumentality a interruption from cricket. He antecedently took an indefinite permission from the crippled successful 2021 connected intelligence wellness grounds earlier succeeding Joe Root arsenic England skipper a twelvemonth later.The ECB confirmed connected Monday that Stokes and Atkinson were progressive successful an incidental portion celebrating England's triumph implicit New Zealand.“Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson were contiguous astatine a nightclub successful the aboriginal hours of Monday greeting erstwhile an incidental took place,” the ECB connection said.“We are presently seeking further information, and an announcement regarding the squad for the 2nd trial volition beryllium made successful owed course.”England are expected to hold naming their squad for the 2nd Test against New Zealand until they perceive from Stokes. It besides claimed that neither Stokes nor Atkinson is expected to diagnostic successful the remainder of the series.The contention comes months aft England reintroduced a squad curfew pursuing the Ashes circuit of Australia, during which players faced disapproval implicit drinking and discipline-related issues.England had defeated New Zealand by 115 runs astatine Lord's connected Sunday. Atkinson took 5/30 connected the last day, portion Stokes besides picked up a wicket.The 2nd Test against New Zealand begins connected June 17 astatine The Oval.