Nasser Hussain says Ben Stokes' decision to head to play in New Zealand while his England exile continues makes "cricketing sense".
The 26-year-old all-rounder remains out of England's Ashes plans following his arrest on suspicion of causing actual bodily harm in Bristol in September.
As anxious England fans look for a resolution in the wake of their First-Test drubbing, fevered speculation broke out that the England and Wales Cricket Board had sent Stokes an SOS after a Twitter picture appeared to show him at Heathrow Airport on Monday.
It is understood, though, that Stokes is headed for the country of his birth to play for Canterbury in a 50-over Ford Trophy clash against Otago Vaults on Sunday, with discussions in place for further games with Canterbury in their domestic competition and also the Burger King Super Smash Twenty20.
Stokes has not played any form of cricket since September 24 and former England captain Hussain thinks his decision to head to New Zealand is the right one.
"It makes cricketing sense, Ben hasn't done anything since September," he told Sky Sports News.
"He missed those one-dayers, we've seen some tweets of him bowling indoors.. You don't want the Police and ECB to suddenly clear him and then say 'he's not done anything for three months'.
"He can get some warm sun on his back, Canterbury have done a deal with him and just play some cricket and whatever happens with the police enquiry, the ECB enquiry, if that goes his way then he's ready."
With Stokes closer to Australia in New Zealand, he is of course handily placed should an ECB decision to select him come.
If that were to happen, Hussain has warned Stokes that the spotlight will be on him like never before.
He added: "What it means is when he arrives in New Zealand, you can imagine the media storm out there and, hopefully if you're an England fan, in Australia, that's going to be 10 times (more). I just hope the ECB looking down the line have planned.
"It is going to be a circus in every state they go to. It's not like in England you land and that's it, you do the media, you don't go to various counties and do the media. In Australia you do South Australia media, then to Western Australia and do the Western Australia press. It's continuous and Ben will need looking after if and when he goes out there."
Stokes will require a No Objection Certificate from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to compete for Canterbury, although Press Association Sport understands he will be granted the chit.
He has yet to hear whether he will be charged by Avon and Somerset Police.
Stokes and Alex Hales, who was also involved in the Bristol incident, have been suspended from England selection until further notice.
However, it is understood that after being arrested and then released "under investigation", Stokes is free to travel and leave the country.
In an apparent reference to Monday's social media frenzy sparked by his sighting, Stokes wrote on Twitter: "GIFs the best thing to grace twitter."
Ahead of Stokes' arrival in New Zealand, Canterbury's chief executive Jeremy Curwin said: "The CCA Board and New Zealand Cricket will independently be considering this issue in the near future but, until then, we are unable to provide any more detail on the status of the deliberations.
"As and when there are any further developments we will of course release further statements."
