Can ben

The Kia Oval: England men’s managing director Rob Key said there is “no rush” to take a call on Ben Stokes’ future as an England player and remained non-committal about him being the captain, while adding that he’s also considering enforcing a complete alcohol ban on the side.

Stokes and Gus Atkinson were not made available for selection for the second Test against New Zealand, starting at The Kia Oval next week, after the pair were involved in a nightclub altercation in the early hours of Monday morning following the team’s 115-run win in the series opener at Lord’s and broke a midnight curfew.

The confrontation also featured Saracens rugby union player Totoa Auvaa. “Can Ben captain again? I think we’ve just got to let that play out. The decision, as I look forward, is about what’s best for the team and what’s best for Ben as well. I haven’t got an answer for that at the moment, to be honest. It’s still very raw, certainly for Ben, Brendon (McCullum, head coach), myself, and the ECB.