Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson have been left out of the England squad for the second Test against New Zealand – with Joe Root making a surprise return to captaincy as interim skipper.
Stokes and Atkinson are subject to an England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) investigation over an incident in a nightclub after the first Test win at Lord’s, and have been stood down as the series continues at the Oval. All-rounder Stokes is thought to be considering his future as captain.
