Jos Buttler: “We’ll fully support him and look forward to seeing some amazing performances from him back on the pitch”
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Jos Buttler has made it clear that the entire England team fully supports all-rounder Ben Stokes after he was charged with affray.
Stokes’ charge stems from a street fight outside the Mbargo nightclub in Bristol in September last year and he will have to appear at Bristol Magistrates’ Court on February 13.
Despite being charged, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) decided to make Stokes eligible for selection after his appearance in court.
When Stokes ultimately makes his return, Buttler reiterated that the national team will welcome him back with open arms.
“I think anyone who has come across Ben will know that if there is ever a guy who will be able to manage these kind of things and come out of the other side of it very well it is Ben,” the wicketkeeper-batsman was quoted as saying by BT Sport. “But we’re a tight group of guys and a lot of us will have an arm round his shoulder, not that he will need it, but we’ll fully support him and look forward to seeing some amazing performances from him back on the pitch. We look forward to welcoming him back.
“I’m absolutely delighted that he is going to be playing again soon, delighted for him and delighted for us as a side. He’s one of the best players in the world and having him come back into our team is fantastic.”
Meanwhile, Buttler said he had no issues with England being handed a midnight curfew, which arose in the aftermath of a couple of incidents during the Ashes that put the team in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.
Jonny Bairstow came under heavy criticism after headbutting Australia opener Cameron Bancroft, while Ben Duckett was suspended after pouring a drink over James Anderson’s head.
However, in both incidents, the players involved played down the severity of the situation and insisted that there was nothing malicious about it.
“As international cricketers we understand that we’re under a lot of scrutiny and media interest and public interest and since that day in September we’re under even more so now,” he said. “It is down to individuals to be really aware of that and we have to be great ambassadors for our game and those responsibilities over the events of the last few months have very much been laid out.
“Everyone is very much aware of their responsibilities as an England cricketer.”