England cricket has been hit by a major off-field controversy after the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed that test captain Ben Stokes and fast bowler Gus Atkinson have been left out of the squad for the second test against New Zealand, starting June 17 at the Oval. 

The decision comes amid an ongoing ECB investigation into an alleged breach of team curfew following England’s first Test win at Lord’s. According to the board, both players are “not available for selection” while the inquiry continues into the reported nightclub-related incident involving members of the team environment in London.

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Joe Root returns as captain, Archer back in squad

In Stokes absence, senior batter Joe Root will take over as interim captain for the second Test. This marks his return to leadership duties for England’s Test side for the first time since stepping down from the role in 2022. Root, England’s leading Test run-scorer, previously captained the side in a record number of matches before handing over leadership to Stokes.

Wicketkeeper-batter Harry Brook will continue as vice-captain, but the ECB has opted not to promote him to captaincy duties for this match. Meanwhile, fast bowler Jofra Archer has been added back into the squad after missing the opening Test. Archer had been rested as part of workload management following a busy season, including his stint in the Indian Premier League with Rajasthan Royals.

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England’s squad otherwise remains largely unchanged from the team that secured a convincing win in the first Test at Lord’s.

ECB investigation continues amid uncertainty

The ECB has not released detailed findings but confirmed that both Stokes and Atkinson have been made unavailable due to the ongoing disciplinary process. The governing body is expected to review the circumstances surrounding the alleged breach before taking any further action.

Reports in the British media suggest that the incident occurred after team celebrations following the Lord’s Test victory, though the ECB has not officially commented on the nature of the events under investigation. The situation remains fluid, with further updates expected once the ECB investigation concludes.

England Squad (2nd & 3rd Test vs New Zealand)

Joe Root (c), Ben Duckett, Emilio Gay, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook (vc), Jamie Smith (wk), James Rew, Jordan Cox, Rehan Ahmed, Ollie Robinson, Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue, Matthew Fisher, Sonny Baker, Shoaib Bashir.