Following the recent off-field controversy involving all-rounder and fast bowler Gus Atkinson, England men’s director of cricket Rob Key has stopped short of making any guarantees about Ben Stokes’ future as Test captain.
The incident, which happened early on Monday after England won the first Test against New Zealand at Lord’s, saw Stokes and Atkinson get into an altercation with a rugby player who allegedly broke the team curfew.
Both players have been dropped from the squad for the second Test at The Oval, with Joe Root set to lead the side on an interim basis.
Speaking about Stokes’ status as captain, Key refused to give a firm time frame for any decision, insisting the matter would only be resolved once the ongoing investigation was concluded.
“There’s a lot of things that have to happen before that. We have to conduct an investigation and find out exactly what happened. We’re in the middle of that right now. No decisions will be made after that,” Key said.
“We have to let it play out. No decision has been made on our side. We haven’t given him an ultimatum, we’re always talking to him to make sure he’s OK. It’s been a traumatic time for him these past few days. You don’t want to make any decisions when things like this happen. He’s our partner at the moment”.
Amid controversies, reports suggest that Stokes is considering not only his future as England captain but also his international career. However, there has been no official word from his camp even days after the incident.
Stokes takes over as Test captain from Joe Root ahead of the 2022 summer, ushering in a new era under head coach Brendon McCullum. Although recent performances, including a 4-1 Ashes defeat in Australia, have raised fresh questions, the partnership has produced strong results early on.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has given Stokes time to consider his future, and disciplinary action is expected against both players for alleged breaches of team ethics.
While the investigation into the incident continues, officials are keen to allow Stokes to make a personal decision about his role.