After Ben Stokes was arrested and dropped from the England ODI team for allegedly being involved in a brawl with a 27-year-old in a nightclub at Bristol, former England captain Michael Vaughan revealed that this was not the first time the all-rounder was cautioned about his off-field behaviour. He also said that Stokes needs to be “streetwise off the pitch too.”
In his column for The Telegraph, Vaughan wrote that he was aware about Stokes getting “strong warnings about his lifestyle.”
“People have said to him there is only one person who can ruin your career and that is you. Nobody else. He has the talent, plays all three formats relatively easily. Has the world at his feet,” the column read.
The former captain also alluded to his massive Indian Premier League contract and how the 26-year-old needs to be careful if he wants to continue earning like that. Stokes became IPL’s most expensive foreign player when Rising Pune Supergiant bought him for 14.5 crore in the February auctions.
Vaughan added that while he doesn’t expect the all-rounder to give up alcohol, he expects him to learn his lesson to be as smart off the pitch as he is on it.
“I am not saying be teetotal or not have a flutter at the casino. He needs a way to let off steam and live a life. But on the field he is a streetwise cricketer. He understands the game. He gets cricket. But he is not streetwise off the pitch and that could be his downfall. I am hoping this is his lesson,’ Vaughan added.
You can read the full column here.
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