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'Some people don't learn': Ian Botham lashes out at Ben Stokes, says all-rounder could lose England captaincy originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Ian Botham criticised Ben Stokes over the nightclub incident, saying "some people just don't learn."
- The former England captain suggested Stokes could lose the captaincy and might walk away from the game.
- Botham, Durham's chairman from 2017 to 2024, recalled standing by Stokes during the 2017 Bristol affair.
Ian Botham lashes out at Ben Stokes, says all-rounder could lose England captaincy
Ian Botham has launched a pointed criticism of Ben Stokes over the Chelsea nightclub incident, warning that the all-rounder could lose the England captaincy and even walk away from cricket.
The England legend, speaking on the Stick to Cricket podcast, questioned the team's discipline and described Stokes' conduct as difficult to justify.
The remarks carry added weight given Botham's long association with Stokes. He served as chairman of Durham, Stokes' county, from 2017 to 2024 and stood by the all-rounder through the highly publicised Bristol nightclub affair in 2017 that led to an arrest and a lengthy investigation.
Botham's frustration centred on the fact that Stokes, as captain, was breaching a curfew he was himself responsible for upholding. The 70-year-old framed the episode as an avoidable lapse that he believes the England skipper will deeply regret.
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Ian Botham questions Ben Stokes' judgment
Speaking on the Stick to Cricket podcast alongside Michael Vaughan, David Lloyd, Phil Tufnell, and Alastair Cook, Botham did not hold back in his assessment of the situation, drawing a direct line back to the support he had once shown Stokes.
"Some people just don't learn, do they? It's as simple as that. We as a club, when he had the problems in Bristol, we stood by Ben Stokes, and I stood by him as chairman, but I really can't see how you can justify what happened after the game," Botham said on the podcast.
He was particularly baffled by the role of the security official present that night, questioning why the responsibility for enforcing the curfew should have fallen to anyone other than the captain himself.
"What I can't get my head around is what the security bloke is doing there if he knows they shouldn't be there after midnight. He shouldn't have to overrule the captain," Botham added.
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Ian Botham warns Ben Stokes could walk away
The former all-rounder went further, speculating openly about the long-term consequences for Stokes. He suggested the captaincy itself could be in jeopardy and raised the possibility that Stokes might step away from the game altogether.
"I know where it will go now, and it wouldn't surprise me if Ben did lose the captaincy, and he might walk away from the game. It was an unnecessary procedure and one that I think he'll regret," Botham said on the podcast.
The comments add to the pressure surrounding Stokes, who was withdrawn from the second Test at The Oval alongside Gus Atkinson following the curfew breach after England's win at Lord's.
Botham also questioned why vice-captain Harry Brook had not been handed the leadership in Stokes' absence, with Joe Root instead stepping in.
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A complicated history between the two
The criticism is notable given the recent friction between Botham and Stokes. Botham was among the former players who questioned England's preparation for the 2025-26 Ashes, which Australia won 4-1, and Stokes hit back at the time by labelling those critics as "has-beens."
Despite that history, Botham's latest remarks reflect genuine concern rather than point-scoring, rooted in years of working closely with Stokes at Durham.
With the third Test at Trent Bridge looming and Stokes expected to return as captain, the all-rounder faces the task of moving past an episode that has divided opinion across the English game.
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