England Test captain Ben Stokes is expected to return as captain for the third Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, following inquiries into his breach of nightclub curfew.
Stokes and teammate Gus Atkinson had a late-night incident at a nightclub after winning the first Test at Lord’s. This violated the team’s curfew, which was set after several drinking-related issues during the Ashes series. Stokes was part of the decision to impose the curfew.
According to The Telegraph, both players were interviewed by the England and Wales Cricket Board this week. The results of this internal investigation will be made public before the ongoing second Test. The ECB has stated that no final decisions have been made regarding Stokes’ return to Nottingham on Thursday, but the team’s management has softened its initial reaction over the past week.
Stokes is included in the 15-member squad for Durham’s County Championship match against Northamptonshire. In his absence, Joe Root is captaining England for the second Test at the Oval. Meanwhile, vice-captain Harry Brook was involved in a nightclub incident prior to an ODI in Wellington, which came to light months later.
Brendon McCullum and Men’s Director of Cricket Rob Key have not indicated that Stokes will lose his captaincy. However, it is believed that if he returns to the team following the investigation, he will resume his role as captain. The head coach also addressed concerns about Stokes’ mental health after rumors about his potential retirement circulated.
The incident, along with further absences due to injuries to Ollie Robinson and Jamie Smith, led to Jordan Cox, James Rew, and Sonny Baker making their Test debuts at the Oval.