KP says Stokes-less England should stay home

England shouldn’t bother coming to Australia for the Ashes if controversial allrounder Ben Stokes is rubbed out, according to Kevin Pietersen.

Stokes was dropped for today’s one-day international against the West Indies after being arrested outside a nightclub in Bristol for allegedly being involved in a brawl. But the vice-captain is likely to keep his spot for this summer’s test series after England’s cricket director Andrew Strauss yesterday insisted the squad will be named ‘‘based on form and fitness’’.

It would be a massive blow to their Ashes chances should England choose to impose a lengthy suspension on Stokes, who was arrested on suspicion of actual bodily harm.

He hit a century during his debut test series in Australia and has taken 26 Ashes wickets at 33.07 with his medium pace.

‘‘If Stokes doesn’t go to Aus, then England should just stay at home!,’’ former England batting star Pietersen tweeted.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan backed Stokes to travel to Australia and keep the vice-captaincy but did criticise him for threatening the team’s preparation for the five-test series, starting in Brisbane on November 23.

‘‘The facts are the England vicecaptain was out at 2.30am, drinking two days before an England game and he has hit someone,’’ Vaughan wrote in the UK Telegraph. ‘‘What this has done is cast a massive shadow over the England team.’’