England cricketer Ben Stokes has been removed from the national team’s roster for the upcoming second test match against New Zealand following an ongoing probe into an altercation at a nightclub. Reports suggest that Stokes was involved in a confrontation with Gus Atkinson, a security personnel, and a Saracens rugby player. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has confirmed that Stokes will no longer serve as captain and has been excluded from the squad pending the investigation.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the ECB stated that due to the ongoing inquiry, both Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson will not be considered for selection in the upcoming Rothesay 2nd Test against New Zealand scheduled to commence at the Kia Oval on June 17. Yorkshire batsman Joe Root will take the reins as the Interim Captain, with Sussex fast bowler Jofra Archer and Essex batsman Jordan Cox being drafted into the squad.
As a result of these changes, vice-captain Harry Brook has been overlooked, with Joe Root assuming the captaincy position. The incident in question, which occurred following the first Men’s Test against New Zealand, is currently being investigated by the ECB for potential breaches of team protocols. Additional updates on the squad for the second Test will be provided in due course once more information is gathered.
Saracens, in a separate statement, acknowledged the involvement of an academy player in the incident on Sunday evening and assured that they are cooperating with relevant authorities to address the situation appropriately. England had previously secured victory in the first test against New Zealand by 115 runs, with the subsequent match set to be held at The Oval in the upcoming week.
The revised squad for the second test includes Joe Root (Yorkshire) as Captain, Rehan Ahmed (Leicestershire), Jofra Archer (Sussex), Sonny Baker (Hampshire), Shoaib Bashir (Derbyshire), Jacob Bethell (Warwickshire), Jordan Cox (Essex), Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire), Matthew Fisher (Surrey), Emilio Gay (Durham), James Rew (Somerset), Ollie Robinson (Sussex), Jamie Smith (Surrey), and Josh Tongue (Nottinghamshire).