No rush on Ben Stokes' future as England consider alcohol ban after nightclub row

Rob Key is considering tougher restrictions, including a possible alcohol ban, after Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson were dropped following a London nightclub incident. Key offered no guarantees when it comes to Ben Stokes continuing as Test captain as the investigation continues.

In Short

• Stokes and Gus Atkinson will miss second Test after Monday's incident
• England had already brought in a midnight curfew after winter criticism
• Key said stricter off-field rules may be needed to rebuild trust

Director of England cricket Rob Key is considering imposing an alcohol ban on the team and gave no assurances that Ben Stokes will remain as the Test team captain after the London nightclub fiasco. England will be without captain Ben Stokes and fast bowler Gus Atkinson for the second Test against New Zealand after the pair were involved in an off-field incident at a London nightclub during the early hours of Monday.

The episode adds to a string of disciplinary concerns that have affected the England setup over the past six months, with multiple players attracting attention for late-night outings.

In response to criticism surrounding the squad's drinking habits during the winter, England had recently tightened off-field regulations by introducing a midnight curfew. Stokes and Atkinson are understood to have fallen foul of those restrictions.

In response to the latest episode, Key said that maybe more strict rules need to be imposed in a bid to gain trust from the public.

"Do we need to look at have we been strict enough?" said Key. "Even when they win a game of cricket, is it now a time when there's just no alcohol at any time and at any stage?

"I need to think through these things because I don't want to make a rash decision that hinders the team and creates a situation where they don't feel they can do anything.

"But the players now have to show the public they can be trusted. At this point it's hard to say they can."

STOKES FUTURE AS CAPTAIN

Following the latest row, there have been reports that Stokes is planning to step down as captain and even retire from the game altogether.

When pressed about this, Key told BBC sport, "He has not intimated that to me."

Key was also straightforward when it came to Stokes representing England again, saying that he doesn't a reason why it should not happen.

However, when it came to the captaincy bit, Key refused to give any guarantees.

"There are a lot of things to happen before then," said Key. "We've got to run the investigation, find out what happened exactly. We're in the midst of that at the moment. No decisions will be made until after that."

"We just have to let this play out. No decisions have been made on our side.

"We've not given him an ultimatum, we're just speaking to him all the time to make sure that he is alright. It's obviously been a traumatic time for him over the last few days. When things are like that you don't want to make any decisions. Time is our ally in this."

Stokes and Atkinson have been dropped for the second Test against New Zealand, with Joe Root taking over as captain for the game.

- Ends