Good news for England; Ben Stokes likely to return for ENG vs NZ 3rd Test
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Ben Stokes was dropped from 2nd Test against New Zealand for breaching the ECB’s Code of Conduct.
England are clashing with New Zealand in a three-match Test series. The second Test match is underway at the Kennington Oval in London, and the first two days have concluded. England won the opening game by 115 runs and lead the three-match series 1-0.
Interestingly, Ben Stokes led England in the opening game but was dropped from the second encounter. Due to a physical altercation at a London nightclub with a rugby player, Totoa Auvva, after the 1st Test at Lord’s, Stokes and Gus Atkinson were found guilty of breaching the England and Wales Cricket Board’s (ECB) Code of Conduct.
The ECB charged them for violating the midnight curfew rules. Moreover, the nightclub incident became the talk of the town, although Stokes and Atkinson were not injured in the incident.
According to reports, an ECB security staff member was injured by a punch from the rugby player Totoa during the altercation, and the incident became a highlight among the England cricket fraternity.
As a result, both Stokes and Atkinson were dropped from the ENG vs NZ 2nd Test. Since vice-captain Harry Brook is also overlooked as captain, Joe Root is captaining the side in this match. While Stokes is absent from the 2nd Test, he is likely to reappear for the third and final game.
Ben Stokes to be part of 3rd test against New Zealand- Reports
According to a report by Circle of Cricket, Stokes is expected to return for the third Test against New Zealand. The report also added that it is uncertain if he will captain the side.
The ENG vs NZ 3rd Test will begin on June 25 at Trent Bridge in Nottingham. The series is part of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27, in which England hold the seventh spot while New Zealand are placed in fourth place in the points table. The result of the second test will lead to further changes in their positions in the WTC points table.
Meanwhile, Stokes has been named in the 15-man Durham squad for their home County Championship fixture against Northamptonshire. The encounter will be played in Chester-le-Street beginning Friday (June 19).
Why is Ben Stokes not part of the ENG vs NZ 2nd Test?
Stokes has been dropped from the ENG vs NZ 2nd Test by the ECB for breaching the Code of Conduct.
Who is leading England in the 2nd Test against New Zealand in Stokes’ absence?
Joe Root is leading the team in the encounter.
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Vikas Singh Derek is a core cricket-lover since childhood and has always followed the sport both in his personal and professional life. He started his school life by watching cricket at home with family. Later, he played cricket on the field at local clubs during college. After his Master's in Journalism from Mumbai, he followed his passion by covering cricket news across various digital media. Since 2015, he has been an aspiring sports journalist and cricket content writer with over 50K+ articles.