With still a week to go for the ENG vs NZ 2nd Test, the ECB have named their 15-man squad, confirming that Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson “have not been made available for selection” amid the ongoing investigation over their involvement in the Chelsea nightclub incident.
The ECB have named a skipper as well as two replacements for Stokes and Atkinson.
After victory in the 1st Test at Lord’s, Stokes and Atkinson breached the England team protocols of a midnight curfew that was instituted following the incidents involving England’s players during the winter in New Zealand and Australia related to alcohol and late-night events.
Stokes and Atkinson have been put under the ECB’s investigation, the board announced on Monday. An independent Cricket Regulator is looking into the matter that reportedly took place at Chelsea’s Rex Rooms. The incident involved Saracens Rugby Club player Totua Auvaa allegedly smacking an England team security officer, who needed stitches.
35-year-old Stokes is apparently weighing his options. The ECB, as per ESPNcricinfo, has given Stokes the ultimatum of either resigning or facing the axe.
Further, Stokes is reportedly also mulling over complete retirement from international cricket. His relationship with head coach Brendon McCullum had purportedly strained during the lost Ashes series in Australia, and now this could be a breakdown between the all-rounder and the ECB.
ENG vs NZ: Who Will Captain England In 2nd Test After Ben Stokes Was Made Unavailable Amid Nightclub Controversy?
Joe Root will lead England in the second Test against New Zealand, starting June 17 at the Kennington Oval, London, with Stokes made unavailable as the ECB investigates the incident that also includes fast bowler Atkinson.
The ECB announced Root as the skipper for the second Test, and with little chance of Stokes featuring in the third Test, Root is potentially in line to captain England in two consecutive Test matches, adding to his 64 Tests as England’s skipper, the last of which was in 2022.
White-ball captain Harry Brook was made Stokes’ deputy ahead of the Ashes, when he displaced Ollie Pope as the Test vice-captain. However, Brook himself faced disciplinary action in the winter for his late-night transgression when he was “clocked” by a bouncer outside a nightclub in New Zealand the night before he was about to lead England in an ODI game.
It seems that Root will lead England for the remainder of this Test series against the Kiwis, while Brook could get his initiation as the new Test captain in the home series against Pakistan in August.
ENG vs NZ: Who are the replacements of Stokes and Atkinson in England’s squad?
The ECB have named fast bowler Jofra Archer and batsman Jordan Cox as the replacements for Stokes and Atkinson for the second Test against New Zealand.
Meanwhile, England will have to change the balance of their playing XI now that Stokes is ruled out. While Archer is expected to walk in for Atkinson, even though he hasn’t had the time to build his red-ball rhythm, replacing Stokes’ seam-bowling all-round characteristics is not possible for England right now.
Batsman James Rew could be in line for a Test debut in place of Stokes, although that would leave England with only three seamers.
The other choice would be to replace both Stokes and Atkinson with fast bowlers and drop Shoaib Bashir for a batsman or with leg-spinning all-rounder Rehan Ahmed, which would mean Root’s off-spin will be called upon for service.
England squad for second Test vs New Zealand:
Joe Root (C), Emilio Gay, Jamie Smith (wk), Jofra Archer, Rehan Ahmed, Matthew Fisher, Sonny Baker, Shoaib Bashir, Jordan Cox, Ben Duckett, James Rew, Harry Brook, Ollie Robinson, Jacob Bethell, Josh Tongue
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