India vs England: Clive Lloyd on Ben Stokes - ‘Need rigid discipline when representing the country’
Former West Indies skipper Clive Lloyd said Ben Stokes has been forced to learn the hard way as staying out until the wee hours has left him vulnerable.
England will be without influential all-rounder Ben Stokes for the rain-hit Lord’s Test as the player attends the ongoing court hearing in Bristol for affray charges over an incident outside a pub in that city last September.
While Stokes and two other defendants have pleaded not guilty in a jury hearing that is expected to be decided later this week, the England team has repeatedly announced ahead of press conferences that they are not allowed to speak about the case.
However, former West Indies skipper Clive Lloyd, asked about issues that were giving the game negative publicity, ball-tampering being the other burning topic of debate, said the 27-year-old has been forced to learn the hard way as staying out until the wee hours has left him vulnerable.
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“When you play for your country, you sign a contract. But the curfew is usually only in Tests and ODIs (limited-overs formats), when the captain and manager enforce discipline,” Lloyd said during a discussion on Wednesday to mark a book launch.
However, he was critical of Stokes.
“People only go overboard if you do not have any respect (for rules). I’m sure Stokes knows now he got to be stronger in terms of discipline. You have to have rigid discipline representing the country.”
Australia batsman David Warner was suspended for two matches in 2013 after throwing a punch at England’s Joe Root in a bar in Birmingham.
