Michael Vaughan: Ben Stokes doesn't deserve to lose England captaincy

Vaughan accepted that Stokes "crossed a line" by breaking a midnight curfew, but insisted the error of judgement did not merit removal from the captaincy.

He argued that while the England and Wales Cricket Board is fully entitled to impose disciplinary measures, any sanction should be proportionate and not automatically cost Stokes his leadership role.

Vaughan also questioned whether the incident reached a threshold serious enough to justify such a drastic decision, pointing to Stokes' central role in England's recent Test successes as a key reason for continuity.

"Yes, Ben Stokes broke a curfew. Yes, he made a mistake. But is that a sacking offence as England's Test captain? I don't think so," Vaughan wrote in The Telegraph.

"The ECB has to be brave enough and strong enough to do what it thinks is right. If that is to sack him then fine, but I do not agree with that decision on this issue."

The controversy stems from an incident in which Stokes and fast bowler Gus Atkinson returned late after celebrating England's victory over New Zealand in the first Test, subsequently breaching team protocol.

The pair were present when a member of England's security team was struck during a late-night altercation at a London nightclub. The individual responsible, identified as Saracens player Totoa Auvaa, left the staff member bloodied and in need of medical attention.

Stokes will now miss the second Test against New Zealand at The Oval, with former captain Joe Root set to take charge ahead of vice-captain Harry Brook.

Both the ECB and the Cricket Regulator have launched investigations, although the governing body has denied reports that Stokes has been asked to resign, stating instead that he has been given time to reflect on his position. 

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