Scandal-hit England all-rounder Ben Stokes was not picked in England’s ODI team that will play 5 One-Day International matches against Australia following the conclusion of Ashes series.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) issued a statement on Monday (January 1) saying that Stokes would not travel with the squad as the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) verdict is still pending. The 26-year-old was arrested on suspicion of causing actual bodily harm in the infamous street brawl incident outside a nightclub at Bristol on September 25 last year.

With Stokes set to miss, the Middlesex batsman Dawid Malan, who scored a gritty hundred in the third Ashes Test at Perth was added to the ODI squad. Australia and England are slated to play a five-match ODI series, starting on January 14 in Melbourne.

Much to the relief of Stokes though, the mercurial all-rounder was given permission to sign a handsome contract in the forthcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) auction even if he is on suspension from the national duty.

Following the ODI series Down Under, England are scheduled to play a T20 tri-series involving Australia and New Zealand. After that, they have five ODIs games and three Tests in New Zealand. Stokes will not feature any of these matches unless the police investigation cleared him from the allegations.

England ODI Squad:

Eoin Morgan(c), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Tom Curran, Alex Hales, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, Dawid Malan

Itinerary:

January 14, 1st ODI – Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne

January 19, 2nd ODI – The Gabba, Brisbane

January 21, 3rd ODI – Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney

January 26, 4th ODI – Adelaide Oval, Adelaide

January 28, 5th ODI – Perth Stadium, Perth