Ben Stokes is likely to return as England captain for next weekâs third Test at Trent Bridge, with the findings of the investigation into his curfew breach imminent.
Stokes and Gus Atkinson were interviewed by the Cricket Regulator this week and the outcome of an internal investigation by the team management is likely to be released before the end of the second Test at the Oval, for which the pair were dropped.
England insist no final decisions have been made about whether Stokes will play in Nottingham next Thursday, but there has been a clear softening of attitudes over the past week from an initially angry team management.
In their first press conferences after the nightclub incident, Neither Rob Key nor Brendon McCullum would commit to Stokes coming back as captain.
Joe Root is captaining at the Oval in Stokesâs absence, but if the regular captain plays next Thursday, it is expected that he will lead the team.
Stokes will turn out for Durham against Northamptonshire this Friday, and appears eager to get back into the Test fold. Just over a week ago, an emotional Stokes was mulling retirement from the game and, on Monday, head coach McCullum cast doubt over his mental wellbeing in a press conference at the Oval.
Lord Ian Botham has condemned Stokes for breaking his teamâs curfew, saying: âI donât see how you can justify what happened.â
Botham, speaking on an episode of the Stick to Cricket podcast that will be released next week, was critical of Stokes and the England teamâs behaviour, accusing them of a lack of tact.
Bothamâs links with Stokes run deeper than simply being England all-rounders. Botham was chairman of Durham, Stokesâs county, from 2017 to 2024, when he moved into the role of president of the club. Botham was also one of the former players who criticised England for their Ashes preparation last year; Stokes hit back, describing the critics as âhas-beensâ.
âThey never learn do they?â said Botham. âItâs as simple as that.
âWe as a club [Durham], when he had the problems in Bristol [in 2017], we stood by him, I stood by him, the whole team stood by him, I was chairman then. Everyone supported him then.
âI donât see how you can justify what happened after the game [at Lordâs], especially when you were probably very much in charge of when the curfew is, midnight.â
Botham is a fabled roisterer who has a range of his own wines, but criticised England for a lack of tact in their celebrations.
âWe used to love going out for a drink, but we werenât quite so obvious,â he said. âIn Australia, they go down 2-0. What did the team do? Go to Noosa for five days and everyone knows what happened.
âThe other night, I was amazed. And what I canât get my head around is what the security bloke is doing there if he and they know they shouldnât be there after midnight⊠He shouldnât have to overrule him, because it shouldnât happen.â
Botham speculated that Stokes would walk away from cricket if he was removed from the England captaincy at the end of the investigation.
âI donât know where it will go. Something will happen, whichever way it is. It wouldnât surprise me if Ben was to lose the captaincy he might walk away from the game. But I just donât know. It was an unnecessary procedure and one that I think heâll regret.â
The full Stick to Cricket interview with Ian Botham will be released on YouTube at 8am on Tuesday, June 23.
Stokes and Gus Atkinson were interviewed by the Cricket Regulator this week and the outcome of an internal investigation by the team management is likely to be released before the end of the second Test at the Oval, for which the pair were dropped.
England insist no final decisions have been made about whether Stokes will play in Nottingham next Thursday, but there has been a clear softening of attitudes over the past week from an initially angry team management.
In their first press conferences after the nightclub incident, Neither Rob Key nor Brendon McCullum would commit to Stokes coming back as captain.
Joe Root is captaining at the Oval in Stokesâs absence, but if the regular captain plays next Thursday, it is expected that he will lead the team.
Stokes will turn out for Durham against Northamptonshire this Friday, and appears eager to get back into the Test fold. Just over a week ago, an emotional Stokes was mulling retirement from the game and, on Monday, head coach McCullum cast doubt over his mental wellbeing in a press conference at the Oval.
Lord Ian Botham has condemned Stokes for breaking his teamâs curfew, saying: âI donât see how you can justify what happened.â
Botham, speaking on an episode of the Stick to Cricket podcast that will be released next week, was critical of Stokes and the England teamâs behaviour, accusing them of a lack of tact.
Bothamâs links with Stokes run deeper than simply being England all-rounders. Botham was chairman of Durham, Stokesâs county, from 2017 to 2024, when he moved into the role of president of the club. Botham was also one of the former players who criticised England for their Ashes preparation last year; Stokes hit back, describing the critics as âhas-beensâ.
âThey never learn do they?â said Botham. âItâs as simple as that.
âWe as a club [Durham], when he had the problems in Bristol [in 2017], we stood by him, I stood by him, the whole team stood by him, I was chairman then. Everyone supported him then.
âI donât see how you can justify what happened after the game [at Lordâs], especially when you were probably very much in charge of when the curfew is, midnight.â
Botham is a fabled roisterer who has a range of his own wines, but criticised England for a lack of tact in their celebrations.
âWe used to love going out for a drink, but we werenât quite so obvious,â he said. âIn Australia, they go down 2-0. What did the team do? Go to Noosa for five days and everyone knows what happened.
âThe other night, I was amazed. And what I canât get my head around is what the security bloke is doing there if he and they know they shouldnât be there after midnight⊠He shouldnât have to overrule him, because it shouldnât happen.â
Botham speculated that Stokes would walk away from cricket if he was removed from the England captaincy at the end of the investigation.
âI donât know where it will go. Something will happen, whichever way it is. It wouldnât surprise me if Ben was to lose the captaincy he might walk away from the game. But I just donât know. It was an unnecessary procedure and one that I think heâll regret.â
The full Stick to Cricket interview with Ian Botham will be released on YouTube at 8am on Tuesday, June 23.
