Former England captains believe Ben Stokes needs to ‘grow up’ after arrest

Ben Stokes must “grow up” or risk damaging his international career, former England captain Nasser Hussain has warned after the star all-rounder was arrested on suspicion of causing actual bodily harm.

The Durham player was on Wednesday included in England’s 16-man squad for the Ashes tour of Australia despite being dropped for the fourth one-day international against West Indies at The Oval following his arrest in Bristol early on Monday.

England national selector James Whitaker told the BBC that Stokes, who was released without charge but is under investigation, would remain in his position of vice-captain to Test skipper Joe Root. But ex-England skippers Hussain and Michael Vaughan say the 26-year-old needs to take responsibility for his actions, especially with the high-profile Ashes tour looming.

“Ben Stokes has the world at his feet and is well on the way to becoming a very special — not to mention very well- rewarded — cricketer,” Hussain wrote in the Daily Mail. “But he cannot keep flirting with the self-destruct button while getting himself into such damaging scrapes.

“It has reached the point where it could damage the career of a potentially great England cricketer. He has to learn to walk away or not put himself into …read more