Ben Stokes out of England squad, Joe Root captains for second Test
The England and Wales Cricket Board’s (ECB) investigation into the actions of Stokes and Atkinson is still ongoing.
The ECB statement said: “Given the ongoing investigation, Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson have been made ineligible for selection for the second Test against New Zealand.”
The Cricket Regulator is conducting a separate investigation, which may not be concluded for several weeks.
Stokes, 35, was given time by the ECB to consider his options. The governing body rejected any suggestion that his resignation be asked.
The episode was an unwelcome controversy for the ECB following a dismal 4-1 Ashes tour in Australia that sparked off-field controversy.
Defeat by New Zealand in the first Test at Lord’s looked like a small step in the right direction, but now England will have to try to win the series without their captain, all-rounder and key pace bowler.
Although Stokes’ poor batting form has come under scrutiny, his all-round abilities will be vital to balance the XI.
Atkinson, 28, has had a poor winter but looked close to his best with seven wickets in the first Test.
The Surrey man has now conceded his place in the England team on home soil and his absence could mean the return of Archer, who missed the first Test following his stint in the Indian Premier League.
Depending on the circumstances, the best replacement for Stokes could be all-round spin-bowler Rehan Ahmed, who remains in the squad after missing the final XI at Lord’s.
This was going to be difficult for Shoaib Bashir; The off-spinner was in the XI at Lord’s and did not need to bowl. If he replaces Ahmed Stokes, Bashir would lead to England fielding four specialist seamers.
If England decide to replace Stokes with a specialist batsman, the squad for the first Test will include the uncapped James Rew.
Cox, 25, from Essex, has been featured in various England Test squads but is yet to make an appearance. He was due to make his debut as a goalkeeper on the New Zealand tour in 2024, but suffered a broken thumb in the net.
Root’s return to captaincy is an indictment of the ECB’s current situation.
It would have been difficult for Stokes, a captain unavailable during a nightclub incident, to replace him with Brook eight months after his own nightclub misdemeanor.
Root will therefore lead England at least once more, and perhaps even in the third Test at Trent Bridge a week later.
Root’s rise could be a clue to the expectation that Stokes will eventually return to work.
Had Brook been made captain, he would have had the opportunity to show the Test team in his image, especially given Stokes’ declining playing power.
Instead, with Root appointed as interim captain, there appears to be a pathway for Stokes to return if he so chooses.
If the all-rounder misses the remaining Tests against New Zealand, his return could be for the three-Test series against Pakistan in August.
Earlier on Wednesday, former England captain Michael Vaughan said Stokes should not lose his captaincy.
“Yes, Ben Stokes broke curfew. Yes, he made a mistake. But is that the crime of sacking England as Test captain? I don’t think so,” Vaughan wrote in the Telegraph.
“The ECB needs to be brave and strong enough to do what it thinks is right. If that means removing him from office, fine, but I don’t agree with that decision on this issue.”
