'They deny there is drinking culture' - Geoffrey Boycott rips Ben Stokes apart following 'nightclub' episode after Lord's Test

Legendary England cricketer Geoffrey Boycott believes that the current Test captain Ben Stokes must be charged with a harsh punishment following the infamous nightclub episode that resulted into a brawl between the cricketer and a rugby player following England's win in the Lord's Test match against New Zealand.

Boycott has expressed that the ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board) must address the issue with Stokes and impose severe action against Stokes, thereby setting an example that the rules are the same for all – be it a benched player or the captain of the side. Boycott believes that Stokes should not have broken the team protocols after the Three Lions claimed a massive win against the visiting Kiwi team.

"The England and Wales Cricket Board has to make an example of Ben Stokes and slap him with a suspension after he was caught breaking the team’s curfew. You cannot have the captain blatantly breaking the rules and not do anything about it just because he is so important to the team," Boycott wrote in his column for The Telegraph UK on Tuesday.

While Boycott believes that it is okay for the players to have a few shots in the bar after a match ends, spending through the night and returning by dawn is something that doesn't go well with a professional cricketer, especially the captain of the side. He further added that Stokes should not be going out of the way to celebrate a solitary win after a shambolic Ashes, which has put their WTC spot in serious jeopardy.

"It is fine to go out and have a couple of drinks after a win. But to stay out until the early hours of the morning is different. That is not good as a professional cricketer in the middle of the season. We are trying to rectify performances after the Ashes, and this happens after the first Test! It shows a lack of brains and thinking. It is irresponsible and it needs nipping in the bud before it infects other players," he wrote further.

He also brought up the recent issue, which also saw Harry Brook coming under the radar after being found at a bar drinking after a match, breaking the curfew rulings of the dressing room. Lastly, Boycott felt that Stokes & Co. should have followed an extra-cautious approach, especially after learning a hard lesson from the Brook incident.

"They deny there is a drinking culture, but it is there for everybody to see. The Lord’s Test finished at 1pm and yet they were still out drinking more than 12 hours later. After the Ashes they had to be doubly careful to give the impression they had learnt.

I’m not blaming Stokes for the flashpoint but he should not have been there in the first place. Even without a curfew, just look at what happened last winter with Harry Brook and the results in Australia. Those things are not easily forgotten, so just use your brain," he concluded.