‘Stupid boy’: England cricket legend Ian Botham reignites feud with Ben Stokes

Ben Stokes and Ian Botham

England cricket great Ian Botham has reignited his public feud with former England captain Ben Stokes, calling him a “stupid boy” and a “has-been” after their disagreement over England’s Ashes preparations and Stokes’ retirement.Botham and Stokes, both regarded as among England’s finest all-rounders, have exchanged criticism over the past year. The dispute began when Botham questioned England’s preparations for the Ashes in Australia, arguing that the team should have played at least one state match before the series.Speaking to The Times Magazine, Botham criticised Stokes over the team’s approach and their decision to visit Noosa after losing the first two matches of the Ashes series. He said, “Stupid boy. I’ll mention him only briefly because his self-indulgence is not something I enjoy.”Although Botham praised Stokes as a great player, he questioned the team’s choices during the tour. Referring to their time in Noosa, he added, “Really? They were p****d as rats. Look, if you want a drink, don’t go to the high street. We used to go to wineries.”Botham had earlier said England’s failure to arrange a state match was a sign of arrogance, adding, “Not one (state match), which borders on arrogance. You’ve got to give yourself the chance.”Stokes defended the team’s approach, pointing to changes in the modern game. He said, “There’s quite a few factors that play into why we can’t prepare how the has-beens maybe prepared in the past. The landscape of cricket has changed and that affects preparation.”

Stokes fires back

After Stokes retired from England duty earlier this year, Botham mocked him during an appearance on Test Match Special. He said, “As we know Michael Vaughan and I, we don’t know what we’re talking about. Couple of old has-beens.”Addressing Stokes directly, he added, “Ben, if you’re listening, congratulations, you’ve joined the club – you’re now a has-been.”Stokes responded on X with a pointed remark, “The quote ‘it’s better to be a has-been than a never-been’ originates from Lord Ian Botham.”Botham has now taken another swipe at Stokes while releasing his new book, saying, “This is for you, Ben. Welcome to the has-beens club.” The exchange shows that the disagreement between the two former England stars remains unresolved.