England captain Ben Stokes contemplating retirement as nightclub fiasco deepens: Report

England all-rounder Ben Stokes could step down as captain and may announce his retirement from cricket in the aftermath of an undisclosed incident at a nightclub.

The England Cricket Board has launched an investigation into Stokes and fast bowler Gus Atkinson for a 'breach of team protocol.' The duo were at a nightclub in the early hours of Monday morning when an incident occurred.

The board is currently seeking more information about the incident, prompting suspense about the squad for the second Test against New Zealand.

Ben Stokes to step down?

According to talkSPORT, Stokes 'will likely' step down as England Test captain and 'could' also call it quits from international cricket.

Cricket correspondent George Dobell also believes Stokes may likely retire, saying, "I fear from everything I hear that Stokes is going to act first. And, regretfully, I hear that he is going to step down and possibly even retire."

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There is, however, no confirmation about this from the cricketer or the cricket board itself.

With Stokes being embroiled in a major controversy, criticism also mounted over his current form and captaincy skills in the game's longest format.

While England sealed a clinical 115-run victory over New Zealand in the first Test at Lord's, the all-rounder's batting has prompted concern after scoring 12 (off 23 deliveries) in the first innings. He was dismissed for a three-ball duck in the second innings.

Will Stokes face a penalty?

Stokes' action may attract significant punishment, and the Daily Mail has reported that the 35-year-old all-rounder could be sanctioned with a two-match ban, which would keep him out of action till August.

In the all-rounder's absence, Harry Brook may step in to lead the charge for the remaining two Test matches against New Zealand.

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However, considering Stokes' poor patch, there is no guarantee that the team management would call him back.