WATSON: STOKES SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED IN THE ASHES

Former Australia international thinks a precedent needs to be set by banning England's all-rounder

Shane Watson has called for Ben Stokes to be banned for the entirety of the Ashes series “for his own benefit”.

Stokes, who is still waiting to hear whether he will be charged over an alleged assault in Bristol in September, got England fans excited by flying out of Heathrow on Monday night.

It soon emerged that the all-rounder was not Australia-bound but instead on the way to New Zealand to spend time with his family and, according to reports, potentially turn out for club side Canterbury.

Stokes is still suspended by the ECB and will not be considered for selection until both Avon & Somerset Police’s investigation and the governing body’s in-house review have been concluded.

Should he be cleared on both fronts, there is a chance he could take part in the Ashes series, which resumed in Adelaide this weekend with England 1-0 down.

However, former Aussie all-rounder Watson has said that Stokes should not be permitted to tour Australia, regardless of the outcome of the two inquiries.

"The only way you learn as a person really is when there are strong consequences to mistakes you make," Watson said.

^{Ben Stokes arrives in New Zealand}

"I don't think he should be able to come and play, there needs to be a precedent set even for his own benefit."

Meanwhile, Nasser Hussain approves of Stokes’ decision to head to New Zealand - the country of the England vice-captain’s birth - to get himself into form with bat and ball.

"I think it makes cricketing sense [to play in New Zealand] as he hasn't played for three months,” Hussain told Sky Sports.

“You want him to get sunshine on his back and get back playing cricket.

“Then, if the police and ECB inquiries go his way, then he is ready to take the field."

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