England Test Squad: Ben Stokes Returns Warning
England captain Ben Stokes and fast bowler Gus Atkinson are both back in the Test team for the third and final Test match against New Zealand, following a formal written warning from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).
The two were both previously ruled out of the second Test after an internal investigation into possible violations of team discipline rules. The focus of the investigation was on alleged breaches of the curfew and a clash with an off-field official after England won the first Test of the series by 115 runs.
The ECB determined the two players had violated some of the team conduct rules. But the board stressed that the players can’t be blamed for a nightclub brawl which made national news. The study shows that Stokes was not there during the violent incident and Atkinson was allegedly confronted without cause and not retaliated against.
Both players were issued with a written warning after the disciplinary review and neither were suspended. Their clearance will create an improved England side for the crucial final Test against New Zealand, where the series stand is still up for grabs.
Stokes’ return is of special note as both captain and senior all-rounder, and Atkinson joins the squad as a boost to England’s pace attack in a day that is likely to be a seamer’s day.
The ECB’s approach to the situation is a compromise between a focus on enforcing discipline within the squad and team stability in a continuous international series. The board noted that there was some procedural irregularity, but context and during the incident, there was some misbehaviour.
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