England’s all-rounder Ben Stokes has been left out of the ODI squad that will face Australia after the completion of the Ashes series. He is currently suspended by the England and Wales Cricket Board for his involvement in a street of Bristol in September.
He was named initially in the ODI squad as the selectors were hoping that a verdict of the police investigation would be out by this time. But as the ODI team is set to leave for Australia this Monday, Ben Stokes has been dropped from the team.
Stokes, alongside Alex Hales, was suspended during the ODI series against Windies. Hales was cleared after a few weeks but Stokes still remains under investigation. Somerset and Avon Police have completed their investigation of the incident and they are awaiting the verdict of the Crown Prosecution Service. It is yet to be decided whether the all-rounder will be charged or not.
Dawid Malan has been included in the ODI squad as a replacement for Ben Stokes. Malan has done well in the ongoing Ashes series as he notched up an impressive century in the 3rd Test in Perth.
England dearly missed Ben Stokes
The build-up to the Ashes had shown that the English side had the potential to defeat the Aussies in their own backyard. But their chances suffered a major blow after Stokes was suspended. He is a key member of the side especially in the longest format of the game.
The Englishmen have struggled massively in the Ashes as they lost the first 3 Tests on the trot and also lost the urn. Stokes would certainly have made a difference to the team’s performance as he is equally capable with both bat and bowl. But it remains to be seen what the verdict on his alleged involvement in the brawl is and how much time it takes for him to return to international cricket.
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