LONDON (Kashmir English): England Test captain Ben Stokes has apologised for the incident at a nightclub ahead of the third and deciding Test against New Zealand, admitting he broke the team’s curfew.
Speaking to the media ahead of the deciding Test at Trent Bridge starting on Thursday, Stokes said that as captain he accepted responsibility for his mistake and apologised immediately for the matter.
“Of course, I apologised. As captain, it was one of the first things I had to do.”
Ben Stokes said the impact of the incident was not limited to him but also to stand-in captain Joe Root, the entire England team and many people outside the game.
He expressed regret and said that the controversy had also overshadowed the joy of the Test debuts of young players Jordan Cox, Sonny Baker and James Reeve.
According to Stokes, the focus on the day should have been entirely on these players. They deserved to be the centre of attention on the biggest day of their careers.
The English captain said that the real test of leadership is when a mistake is made and responsibility is taken. He said that he met all those affected directly, apologized to them in their eyes, and admitted his mistake.
Focus on Winning the decisive Test against New Zealand
Ben Stokes praised Joe Root and said that taking over the captaincy again in difficult times reflects his strong character.
He made it clear that his full focus is now on winning the decisive Test against New Zealand and the series. According to him, now our focus is on winning the series.
It should be noted that the 3-match series between England and New Zealand is currently tied 1-1 and the third Test at Trent Bridge will decide the series.
It should be remembered that Ben Stokes was recently caught in a controversy when he was found in a nightclub, violating the team’s curfew (nighttime curfew) before the third and decisive Test against New Zealand.
The incident, which took place before the Trent Bridge Test, has drawn criticism as England captain. Stokes later admitted his mistake and apologised to his teammates, the team management, acting captain Joe Root and especially the new Test debutants, saying the incident had affected the memorable moments of these young players.
