Ben Stokes, the England Test captain, is once again under the scanner after breaking the team protocols post the win in the Test series opener against New Zealand at Lord’s Cricket Ground. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) have begun their investigation after Stokes and pacer Gus Atkinson were involved in an incident at a nightclub in the early hours of Monday morning. Several British media reports claim that a rugby academy player threw a punch at Atkinson, and Stokes might also lose his job as skipper amid the latest controversy.
Both Stokes and Atkinson are likely to be ousted for the second Test against New Zealand, and the ECB have already delayed the squad announcement for the Oval Test, which is set to begin on June 17.
The 35-year-old Stokes, who took over as Test captain in 2022, has been involved in several high-profile controversies throughout his career, including disciplinary episodes. The premier all-rounder might have calmed down a bit as his career has gone on, but he started off as a hot head, never shy away from picking a fight on the field. This combative attitude made him the cricketer he is today, but the same has also landed him in trouble on quite a few occasions.
One of the biggest controversies of Stokes’ career came in 2017 following England’s victory over New Zealand in the first ODI. The fallout was enormous, and there was intense media scrutiny on the all-rounder, and Stokes had to face brickbats from all corners.
The 2017 Bristol incident
The CCTV cameras captured Stokes in a late-night altercation outside a nightclub. Punches were thrown around, and the Test captain was arrested on suspicion of causing actual bodily harm. He was later charged with affray.
The ECB was under tremendous pressure to take action against Stokes. Within days, the fast-bowling all-rounder was stripped of the Test vice-captaincy and was withdrawn from the 2017-18 Ashes tour.
Moreover, Stokes also faced a lengthy criminal trial, and it was in 2018 that Stokes was found not guilty of affray after he argued that he was just intervening in a situation involving alleged homophobic abuse.
Mocking individuals
A new dimension was given to the entire episode after it was alleged that Stokes also mocked two gay men before the brawl. The prosecutors claimed that the England player mimicked their voices and mannerisms and behaved in a derogatory way.
However, Stokes denied the allegations, saying he intervened because others were making homophobic remarks.
Abuse towards doorman
The same episode also saw allegations of Stokes being verbally abusive after being refused re-entry to the nightclub. The witnesses described him getting angry and getting confrontational with the security team.
All these charges led to intense media scrutiny around Stokes, and for some days, the all-rounder became a villain in the UK.
Stokes mocks Katie Price’s disabled son
While the Bristol case was ongoing, another video landed Stokes in further trouble. A viral clip showed Stokes seemingly mocking TV personality Katie Price and her disabled son Harvey. The widespread criticism eventually led Stokes to issue a public apology.
Sportswear manufacturer New Balance also terminated its sponsorship relationship with Stokes, saying that his behaviour did not align with the company’s values.
The Ashes drinking culture
The 2025-26 Ashes Down Under saw England losing the urn 4-1. However, the series against Australia was dominated by the off-field chatter surrounding the Three Lions. While Stokes was not directly involved, he was criticised for not doing much about the casual approach within the dressing room. The England players were criticised for binge drinking and visiting casinos despite trailing in the Ashes.
Following the loss, Stokes also came under fire for his captaincy, and it was being rumoured that there was a breakdown in the relationship between the England captain and head coach Brendon McCullum. However, after an independent ECB review, both individuals held onto their jobs.