Former England captain Ben Stokes has reacted to the ICC probe against the ECB with a two-word message. The International Cricket Council had questioned the England and Wales Cricket Board over the release of a video from his retirement address during the third Test against New Zealand.

Stokes took to social media and wrote: “Sack him.” His remark went viral, with many hailing him for his humour despite the controversy.

The issue started when the ECB handed over the video of Ben Stokes to the official broadcasting network and also posted it on social media midway through the Trent Bridge Test.

Stokes was in the middle of a bowling spell when the news of his retirement was made public. He took the wicket of Zak Foulkes.

The controversy overshadowed the retirement of one of the best all-rounders of all time. Stokes revived England’s Test fortunes alongside Brendon McCullum as the two convinced players to play aggressive cricket under the Bazball approach.

He scored over 7000 runs and took more than 250 wickets in the longest format of the game. He played a key role in England’s success in the 2019 World Cup and the 2022 T20 World Cup.

According to reports, the ICC has written to the ECB saying the release of the clip may have breached the Players’ and Match Officials’ Areas (PMOA) minimum standards.

Article 2.2.11 prohibits the use of cameras inside the dressing room for recording videos or audio.

The apex body of international cricket reminded the ECB that footage captured in the dressing room shouldn’t be released before the conclusion of a game.

The ICC is concerned with the handling of the matter by the ECB instead of Ben Stokes’ address. The former skipper said that his retirement announcement was decided after consultation between his representatives and the officials of the ECB.

The ICC and ECB have not made any statement on the reports. However, it has once again put the spotlight on dressing room access and anti-corruption protocols.