England captain Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson left out of second Test after London nightclub incident
An incident at a nightclub involving Stokes, Atkinson and Saracens player Totoa Auvaa is being investigated by the England and Wales Cricket Board and the Prem Rugby club.
England captain Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson have been left out of the squad for next week’s second Test against New Zealand, with former skipper Joe Root answering an SOS to lead the side on an interim basis.
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Stokes and Atkinson broke team protocols as they celebrated Sunday’s victory over the Black Caps at Lord’s, breaching a midnight curfew before a confrontation took place involving Saracens rugby union player Totoa Auvaa.
They remain subject to an internal investigation by the England and Wales Cricket Board and another by the independent Cricket Regulator.
Fears that Stokes was ready to stand down as skipper, or even announce his international retirement have cooled.
Instead, the ECB has bought some time by leaving out both men from next Wednesday’s clash at the Kia Oval without administering any formal disciplinary action.
Read more: Ben Stokes on the brink: England captain considers quitting after nightclub drama
Read more: Saracens star Totoa Auvaa revealed as player at centre of Ben Stokes nightclub brawl
Intriguingly, Harry Brook has not stepped up from his role as vice-captain.
That role goes to Root, who held the post for five years before stepping down in 2022 and is viewed as the most mature presence in a dressing room that has faced plentiful criticism of its professionalism.
England wrapped up a 115-run win over the Black Caps at Lord’s on Sunday in their first Test since their Ashes humiliation.
Stokes steered his side to victory, despite expressing frustration over the standard of the Lord’s pitch, while Atkinson did much of the damage with second-innings figures of five wickets for 30.
England imposed a midnight curfew on players in the wake of disciplinary concerns during the Ashes series and the preceding tour of New Zealand.
There were numerous reports of excessive drinking during the trips, in particular during a short break in the town of Noosa.
The reports prompted an investigation from England director of cricket Rob Key, but he denied that the team had a drinking culture.
The ECB earlier confirmed in a statement Stokes and Atkinson “were in a nightclub in the early hours of Monday morning when an incident took place”.
“We are currently seeking further information, and an announcement regarding the squad for the second Test will be made in due course,” the ECB added.
“The Cricket Regulator has been informed and we will provide a further update when possible.”