I want to see Ben Stokes in one more Ashes showdown. That’s why he should quit the captaincy

June 9, 2026 — 3:45pm

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It’s time for Ben Stokes to give up the England captaincy.

Not solely because of the London nightclub fracas that made global headlines overnight, but because it is clear that, after four years as England’s charismatic leader, he needs to think about his longevity in the game.

The last thing that England, or cricket in general, wants to see is Stokes retiring from international cricket in circumstances where he looks and sounds fed up with the morass of responsibilities that come with leadership.

Stokes, England, and Australia for that matter would all prefer to see him at his best in one more Ashes series, influencing games with the bat, the ball and in the field, and enjoying himself while doing so.

A fraying attitude was made clear by Stokes’ decision to defy the midnight curfew imposed by the ECB after an Ashes tour beset by poor performances on the field and misbehaviour off it.

Inside the nightclub incident that could cost Ben Stokes his job as England captain

Stokes and England seam bowler Gus Atkinson were out in a Chelsea nightclub beyond the team’s curfew after the Lord’s Test against New Zealand, and were involved in an altercation with a Saracens rugby player.

It is alleged that the rugby player threw a punch at Atkinson that ended up striking an ECB security officer, who was accompanying the cricketers. The........

© The Sydney Morning Herald