Former England captain Michael Vaughan has pretty much come out strongly in support of Ben Stokes, even with all this fresh controversy hovering around the England skipper in the ongoing Test series vs New Zealand. There were reports that Stokes and another England player, Gus Atkinson, broke the team curfew after England beat New Zealand by 115 runs in the opening Test at Lord’s. And then it got even louder, after more claims surfaced that later on there was an argument which turned physical, so Stokes ended up under even more pressure again. Plenty of former players and commentators reacted hard to it. Geoffrey Boycott was one of them, he called for punishment and went as far as suggesting that Stokes should be suspended. But Vaughan feels, yeah Stokes did mess up, however the whole thing isn’t serious enough for him to get stripped of the captaincy. Vaughan says One mistake should not define Stokes In his column for The Telegraph, Vaughan said Stokes has built up a huge amount of trust over the years, thanks to his performances and leadership. He basically admitted the curfew breach was wrong, but added that one lapse should not erase everything Stokes has done for English cricket. Michael Vaughan wrote in his column for The Telegraph: “Yes, Ben Stokes broke a curfew. Yes, he made a mistake. But is that a sacking offense as England’s Test captain? I do not think so. Stokes has a lot of credit in the bank for all he has done for England as captain and all-rounder.” And since he took over as captain, Stokes has been central in pushing England into a more attacking gear in Test cricket. Under his watch, England went for an aggressive approach, it produced good results and also helped bring some renewed confidence inside the squad. Vaughan says that kind of contribution really has to be considered before anyone makes a big call. Also Read | Who is Totoa Auvaa? The 6ft 5in Rugby Giant Involved in Ben Stokes' Chelsea Nightclub Altercation ECB has to make its stance, no hiding Vaughan also took aim at the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). He said they cannot just dodge the issue, they have to state what they’re going to do, and do it clearly. In his view, the ECB has to choose. Either they back Stokes fully, or if they really think the incident deserves a punishment, then they should act. Vaughan went on, “There is no way that those making the big decisions at the ECB have the same credit in the bank. We are now at the stage that they either put their necks on the block and say, “Right, we are sacking you for that offense," or they back him and move on. The ECB is hoping Stokes decides on its behalf. But it 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. A short suspension would be fine, but this is not a big enough incident over which to lose the captaincy.” So, basically, Vaughan is saying he could accept a small penalty, if needed. Yet he still believes it should not end Stokes’ time as captain. Vaughan dismisses Respect Angle Another point critics have floated is that Stokes might lose authority in the dressing room after all of this. Vaughan strongly disagrees, saying players with experience can still make a mistake and still keep the respect of teammates. He added: “I do not see how you can tell Stokes he is not captain anymore just for going over the curfew by a couple of hours after a win. I also do not buy the fact he will have lost respect in the dressing room or will struggle to impose authority in the future.” In Vaughan’s eyes, Stokes is still among England’s strongest leaders, and the squad will keep supporting him. But what about Stokes’ form and fitness Apart from the controversy, Vaughan also talked about Stokes’ current form. He suggested Stokes might be under pressure affecting how he’s batting. Vaughan also brought up the eye injury Stokes suffered earlier this year, and wondered whether it could still be affecting the way the all rounder sees the ball clearly. The former captain said England need that same relaxed, confident Stokes who helped shift the team’s fortunes when he first became captain. For now, everyone’s watching what the ECB will actually do after the curfew dispute. But Vaughan’s message is pretty straight: Stokes made a mistake, yes, however it shouldn’t cost him the England captaincy.