Stokes to hold crisis talks with management as Test future hangs in balance

Ben Stokes will meet with his advisors on Wednesday to decide on his future, with the ECB giving England’s Test captain room to weigh up his options amid fears he could retire from international cricket.

The ECB and the Cricket Regulator are investigating a nightclub incident after the first Test against New Zealand, in which Stokes and Gus Atkinson broke the team curfew and got into a fracas with Saracens rugby player, Totoa Auvaa.

The incident left an England security officer needing stitches and put the spotlight back on the England dressing-room and management, after promises to improve behaviours and culture around the team following off-the-field indiscretions over the winter.

The governing body is sure to discipline the pair accordingly for their breach of team protocol. However, they are keen to let Stokes come to his own decision around his future, having been spooked by the prospect of the England captain retiring altogether.

Those fears led to an emergency executive board meeting on Tuesday morning to discuss the matter. At that point, there were strong suggestions Stokes was fed up and keen to call time on a 15-year career.

Such has been the breakdown of communication between Stokes and the ECB, some feared they would only be informed of his decision via a post on his Instagram page.

Retirement remains a live issue, but there is optimism that Stokes has cooled on that nuclear option. He will meet with his long-time agent, Neil Fairbrother, the former England and Lancashire batter, to determine the best course of action.

Offered the chance to resign on Monday, the 35-year old may yet take the chance to step down and carry on through to the end of his central contract, in 2027, after the next Ashes. He could also opt to relinquish the captaincy and take an indefinite break from the game.

For now, Stokes and Atkinson are expected to incur a suspension and fines, perhaps even ruling them out of the rest of the New Zealand series. The second Test starts at The Kia Oval on June 17 and the ECB will name a squad before Friday, regardless of whether Stokes has made a decision on his future or not.

Stokes is said to be in relatively good spirits, rueful for being out late and worried about the knock-on effect this incident will have on his team-mates. There is also a sense he is not entirely happy with the ECB’s handling of the situation, despite his own culpability in the situation. (ESPNcricinfo)

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