The Ashes: Absent all-rounder Stokes should take his share of the blame, says Vaughan

The moment Ben Stokes was arrested over a late-night incident in Bristol the entire tenor of the Ashes shifted. (Picture: John Walton/PA Wire)

Stokes’s absence has lingered over England’s tour, which hit another low when they crashed to an innings-and-41-run loss to Australia, who took an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.

The talismanic all-rounder has been suspended by England until the resolution of a criminal investigation into his arrest on suspicion of causing actual bodily harm following a late-night fracas outside a Bristol nightclub in September.

His international team-mates have toiled badly without him in Australia.

England's Joe Root talks to Michael Vaughan during day five of the Ashes Test match at the WACA Ground, Perth.

Ashes 2005-winning captain Vaughan said: “I would hope that Ben Stokes was watching and I would hope that he’s hurting more than the team in the dressing room. As soon as Ben Stokes did what he did, it was very clear to me he was going to struggle to be in Australia. I said it straight away that I didn’t think England would have any chance without Ben Stokes.”

Former England batsman Geoffrey Boycott questioned whether his presence would have had any impact on the result, and Vaughan replied: “No, it wouldn’t, but I hope he’s hurting more than the players that have been here.”