It had to happen someday. Ben Stokes love for booze finally landed him behind bars after England’s easy victory in the One-Day International against the West Indies.
Stokes was one demerit point away from a ban for his behaviour. Now with a broken hand and a shattered image after the bar brawl, Stokes will have to work out what he wants out of life. He has been picked for the Ashes series as England’s vice-captain. But that is pending an inquiry.
Unquestionably he is the best all-rounder in the world. He has that knack of doing the right things under crisis and change the course of a match. With either bat or ball, he is an excellent cricketer with guts, talent and technique.
But being a Big Boy in cricket does not entitle him to behave like a small child.
There is something called responsibility and decorum which must be followed when you are a public figure and a famous one at that. A one-off incident could be pardonable but Stokes is a repeated offender. He was actually sent off an English Lions tour in 2013 for having too many night outs with another player despite constant warnings from the management.
Stokes had later apologised for his behaviour and vowed to reform himself. A year earlier, he was warned for obstructing the police during a night out in Newcastle. In 2014, he broke his hand after punching a dressing room locker after a disappointing run in the one-day format.
It doesn’t end there. Stokes always likes to compete and this has led to many awkward problems for the cricketer. His run-ins with West Indian Marlon Samuels are well-chronicled and there is no love lost between them.
Aggression is fine and it excites the fans but somewhere there should be a limit. Constant needling with the ‘F’ word cannot be accepted as there are many impressionable people among the spectators who may follow his example. Stokes is famous and he must handle his fame well. There are many talented cricketers who have fallen into the trap of fame and paid a heavy price.
New Zealand Jesse Ryder has similar problems and is now ostracised from the team. His famous drinking bouts almost cost him his life when he was battered by a bouncer and went into a induced coma. This happened after he swore that he would go off the drink. Ryder is a fantastic player and today he is peddling his wares on the county circuit instead of showing it off on the Big Stage.
Only Stokes can solve his problem.
He is in severe need of counselling and advice from others like Ian Botham who, despite his liking for the juice, made sure it did not go public later in his career. He partied often but in the confines of his hotel room.
Stokes is too good a cricketer to be lost to the lure of drink. Only he can help himself.
The world of cricket will be much poorer if Stokes goes down the Ryder way. Stokes, with his considerable skills, adds that little extra which makes cricket exciting. Heal thyself, Stokes, for cricket sake.
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