Justin Langer gives his two cents on Ben Stokes saga

England all-rounder Ben Stokes was arrested by the police in the early hours of Monday following the third ODI against the Windies. He was held overnight by the police on the suspicion of causing bodily harm in a drunken incident but was released later without any charges. Many former cricketers and fans were disappointed with the incident and expressed their views on the situation. Former Aussie opener Justin Langer felt that the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) won’t be too pleased with the arrest of the left-hander in Bristol.

England opener Alex Hales, who was also present during the whole incident, will now miss the 4th ODI against the Windies along with Stokes. The legendary Aussie opener felt that it would be a very tough situation for the board and they won’t be happy with the players involved in it. Langer also admitted that the following incident will have some immediate effects on the image of ECB and Ben Stokes.

Publicity for all wrong reasons

Justin Langer felt a little concerned for the ECB ahead of series decider 4th ODI against the Windies and the announcement of the squad for the Ashes series. “Particularly as, 1. They’ve got a one-day international today and [2.] announcing the Ashes squad today so the publicity will be for all the wrong reasons,” said Langer as quoted by Sky Sports.

He also admitted that he has no questions regarding the ability of Ben Stokes as he is a terrific player. “What it says to me is, it just goes to show now, it’s not just about being a good athlete, or a good cricketer, or [at] any sport actually, it’s also about being a good citizen,” added the Aussie legend.

Poor for Ben Stokes

However, as per the ECB announcement, Stokes retained his place for the upcoming Ashes tour. Langer also felt that the whole arrest incident will spoil the image of the cricketer in public. “It’s poor publicity for Ben personally but also a reflection on the England team and they’ll be disappointed about that,” he concluded.