England captain Ben Stokes has opened up about the controversy that led to his omission from the second Test against New Zealand, admitting that he had to accept responsibility for his actions and apologise to everyone affected.
Ben Stokes will return to lead England in the third and final Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge in Nottingham, which begins on Thursday. The series is currently tied 1-1 after New Zealand bounced back strongly in the second match.
The England skipper and fast bowler Gus Atkinson were left out of the second Test after reportedly breaking a midnight curfew during a night out at a London nightclub following England’s victory in the opening Test. The incident came amid increased scrutiny of England’s off-field behaviour after the drinking-related controversies that overshadowed their 4-1 Ashes defeat in Australia.
Without Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson, England were led by stand-in captain Joe Root in the second Test. The team made five changes, including the introduction of three debutants. However, England struggled badly and suffered a heavy 253-run defeat to New Zealand at The Oval, allowing the visitors to level the three-match series.
Ahead of the deciding Test, Ben Stokes chose not to discuss the controversy in detail. Speaking at a pre-match press conference, he made it clear that his focus was fully on helping England win the series. He stressed that the team’s attention was on the important challenge ahead rather than events from the previous week.
Both Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson received written behaviour warnings following the curfew breach. Although they were cleared of any wrongdoing related to a reported physical altercation, they were dropped for the second Test as a disciplinary measure. They have now been reinstated for the series decider.
In his first public comments since missing the second Test, Ben Stokes confirmed that he had apologised to the team. He said accepting responsibility was one of his key duties as captain and that it was important to acknowledge mistakes and address those affected by them. He explained that leadership involves being accountable, especially when things do not go according to plan.
While Ben Stokes said he was fully focused on the final Test, he stopped short of confirming whether his return marked a permanent end to the disciplinary issue. For now, England will hope their captain’s return can inspire them to victory in the decisive match against New Zealand.
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