England captain Ben Stokes celebrates after the conclusion of the primary Check towards New Zealand at Lord’s Cricket Floor in London, Britain, on June 7, 2026. — Reuters
LONDON: England captain Ben Stokes and team-mate Gus Atkinson have been dropped from the squad for subsequent week’s second Check towards New Zealand on the Oval, the England and Wales Cricket Board introduced Wednesday.
The pair are presently dealing with an ECB probe for breaking a staff curfew following England´s win within the first Check at Lord´s.
Joe Root will step in as interim captain in Stokes´s absence.
“The England & Wales Cricket Board can confirm that, given the ongoing investigation, Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson have not been made available for selection for the Rothesay second Test against New Zealand, which starts at the Kia Oval on Wednesday 17 June,” mentioned an ECB assertion.
“Yorkshire batter Joe Root will lead the team as interim captain.
“Sussex quick bowler Jofra Archer and Essex batter Jordan Cox have been added to the squad.”
The ECB introduced Monday they have been wanting into Stokes’s involvement in a nightclub incident additionally involving Saracens rugby participant Totoa Auvaa on Monday morning following England’s 115-run win within the first Check at Lord’s.
It’s the newest controversy in regards to the England staff after the tour of Australia the place the facet confronted allegations of a ingesting tradition throughout a 4-1 Ashes collection loss.
A bodily confrontation with Auvaa is known to have led to a member of ECB safety employees being struck.
Staff administration determined towards selling vice-captain Harry Brook, as a substitute choosing former skipper Root to steer the facet on the Oval.
Brook, already the captain of England’s white-ball groups, was fined and censured for late-night ingesting and clashing with a nightclub bouncer earlier than captaining England in a one-day worldwide in Wellington in October — an incident that led to the midnight curfew.
