England’s decision to drop Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson presents as many questions as it does answers.
The duo were not named in the squad for the second Test with New Zealand after breaching England’s new midnight curfew, as they were present at a nightclub when an altercation took place with a Saracens rugby player.
Here, we explain what’s happened so far and what could come next…
Stokes and Atkinson will miss England’s second Test against New Zealand
Why have Stokes and Atkinson been dropped?
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and independent Cricket Regulator launched an investigation into the incident that occurred when Stokes and Atkinson were celebrating Sunday’s victory against New Zealand at Lord’s.
Stokes and Atkinson, as well as another member of ECB staff, were at the nightclub when an altercation involving a Saracens rugby union player occurred in the early hours of Monday.
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Sky Sports senior reporter Geraint Hughes explains who the Cricket Regulator is and why it may investigate England captain Ben Stokes and team-mate Gus Atkinson following ‘breach of team protocols’
It is understood the unnamed Saracens player threw a punch at Atkinson but instead hit a security guard who was supervising the players. It is not clear if after that further punches were thrown.
The cricketers’ presence at the London nightspot was in contravention of a midnight curfew imposed on the team, put in place in response to criticism of the side’s professionalism and drinking habits.
What next for Stokes?
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Nasser Hussain insists the decision on whether Ben Stokes should remain as England captain ultimately has to be made by the player himself
Stokes is currently considering his future amid speculation he could step down as captain or even retire from international cricket altogether. However, fears over his future as an England player have cooled.
The decision to drop Stokes from selection for the second Test does allow him and the ECB more time to talk and to figure out what is the best way forward.
Sky Sports’ James Cole said: “It’s a really difficult situation for the ECB because the question is: has Stokes’ position become untenable? In isolation, drinking late into the night celebrating a win isn’t a huge issue, but it’s the fact that it’s this curfew that he has broken.
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Nasser Hussain has urged former skipper Ben Stokes not to make an ’emotional decision’ after being dropped from the England side following an incident at a nightclub on Monday morning
“Should it cost him the England captaincy? A lot of cricket fans, pundits and former captains are divided on that. If the captain can’t observe the rules then how are the players going to observe the rules?
“The other argument is that he’s a brilliant captain and is one of England’s greatest players, so does the punishment fit the crime? A lot of opinion is divided on that.
“The danger for England if they do remove the captaincy from Stokes, not just that he is an excellent captain and by far the best man for the job in this team, he could then turn around and say: ‘I’ve had enough.’
“He took the Ashes defeat hard and he has had his run of injuries. If we were to do that, then that one late-night drinking incident has cost England one of their greatest-ever players.
“That is the dilemma the ECB face at this time. This just buys them a bit of time to come up with a solution and talk to Stokes about a way forward.”
Who could replace Stokes as Test captain?
Harry Brook is England’s current Test vice-captain but has faced his own recent disciplinary issues
Harry Brook is the current vice-captain of England’s Test side. However, former skipper Joe Root has been named as ‘interim captain’ for the second Test against New Zealand.
Brook – who is also England’s white-ball captain – retained both of his leadership positions following an ECB investigation into an incident involving a nightclub bouncer in Wellington.
Sky Sports News’ James Cole said: “It was expected Brook would take the reins.
“But when you look at it from a comms point of view, next week at The Kia Oval, the captain will be up [for interview] the day before the start of that second Test. All the questions, unfortunately, after this incident, will be around team culture, drinking culture and curfews.
“And it was only a few months ago that Brook was in hot water for an altercation in New Zealand, the night before an ODI and just before the start of the Ashes tour.
“It would have been a difficult position for Brook to be the face fronting up to those questions.”
Joe Root returns as England’s interim captain for the second Test against New Zealand
The ECB have elected to appoint Joe Root as interim captain – a decision heralded by Atherton and Hussain.
“At this point, when it’s a bit of a crisis moment, who better than your elder statesman with an unblemished kind of record on and off the field, Joe Root, although he gave the captaincy away four years ago at the end of a period where England were in the doldrums a bit.
“But he was not an unsuccessful England captain in the grand scheme of things. It finished badly, as it usually does. But, you know, Root had many triumphs as an England captain as well.
“And so you put all that together, they may just feel that sensible elder statesman who’s done it before, has been around the block, knows what it’s about – he’s the man for this moment.”
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James Cole reports on the news that Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson have been dropped for England’s second Test vs New Zealand
Who could replace Stokes in the lineup for the second and third Tests?
Stokes’ unavailability represents a significant loss for England, boasting significant pedigree with both bat and ball – but also provides a window of opportunity for those looking to fill the space left by the captain’s absence.
One of those tipped is Rehan Ahmed. The right arm wrist-spinner boasts significantly more pedigree with the bat than incumbent spinner Shoaib Bashir, whose place he would likely take given England’s preference to play with one or no spinners.
Stokes’ direct replacement at seven in the order would likely be a batter. Essex batter Jordan Cox has been introduced to the squad alongside Somerset’s James Rew, with the latter a promising prospect for England’s future averaging 47.80 in Division One of the County Championship this season at just 22 years old.
James Rew has been called up to the squad for the first two Tests against New Zealand
Dan Lawrence – who has previously appeared for England – represents another option with the bat having notched a 64-ball 101 to add to his first-innings 218 from 190 balls for Surrey against Hampshire.
“I’d have gone Dan Lawrence and not just on the back of two hundreds there this week,” Hussain said on the Sky Sports Cricket podcast.
“We did a County Championship game earlier in the season, albeit on a flat pitch. He looked like he was getting in some really good positions, having a little bit of a slow start to the season, actually a couple of loose shots.
“Since then he’s been outstanding, bowls a bit of off-spin and for that, for The Oval where you may not need, they don’t play their frontline spin.
“That’s the role Dan Lawrence does at Surrey at The Oval and I personally would have gone with him.”
England’s curfew explained – and the reasons behind it
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Ravi Bopara believes it would be sad and extreme for Ben Stokes to retire as England Test captain following a breach of team protocols on Monday morning
In March, ECB managing director Rob Key insisted the England men’s team “does not have a drinking problem” following an incident involving Harry Brook in New Zealand and a mid-Ashes trip to Noosa.
Brook admitted he was fortunate to keep his England ODI captaincy position after describing his altercation with a nightclub bouncer the night before a one-day international against New Zealand last winter as a “terrible mistake”.
The 26-year-old was issued with a final warning and fined approximately £30,000. He is the current vice-captain of the Test side.
Ben Duckett, meanwhile, said there were “no excuses” for his off-field errors during the Ashes and that he is determined to become more professional in order to prolong his England career.
A video emerged of Duckett seemingly drunk during England’s mid-series beach break in Noosa.
England’s players have since been expected to adhere to a midnight curfew, among other restrictions, following those incidents. The curfew was still in place on Sunday night.
What do Rob Key and Brendon McCullum do next?
Brendon McCullum was retained as England men’s head coach following a review of the 4-1 Ashes series defeat
Head coach McCullum has backed his captain Stokes throughout his tenure and will be the most disappointed by the news, according to former England captain Nasser Hussain.
“McCullum will feel incredibly let down,” Hussain said.
“They would have sat down for months, the three of them [Key, McCullum and Stokes] with the ECB. It saved them their jobs, saying that we are going to have a reset. We are going to be better. We’re not going to get ourselves in trouble. Nothing good happens after midnight.
“And the very first opportunity my captain – who set the rules – has broken that.
“But there’s a human nature to people making mistakes.
“I hope all of us actually, not just Brendan McCullum or Rob Key, I hope all of us after the anger of feeling a bit let down by our England captain, realise what he has done for this England team as a player and as a captain in the recent past and before that.”
What next for Atkinson?
Atkinson (right) starred with the ball in the first Test win against New Zealand at Lord’s
The future for Atkinson remains unclear. The seamer played a key role in England’s first Test victory at Lord’s with second-innings figures of 5-30.
Jofra Archer, who was not part of the squad, has been called up to the second Test alongside Josh Tongue and Ollie Robinson, who also impressed at Lord’s.
Fast bowlers Sonny Baker and Matthew Fisher have also been named for England’s second Test squad, meaning a route back into the starting XI may not be straightforward for Atkinson.
England vs New Zealand – results and schedule
All times UK and Ireland, all games live on Sky Sports
- First Test (Lord’s) – England won by 115 runs
- Second Test (The Kia Oval) – June 17-21 (11am)
- Third Test (Trent Bridge) – June 25-29 (11am)
