Joe Root will step in as interim captain in Stokes\u2019s absence, says ECB in a statement
\n LONDON
\nEngland captain Ben Stokes and team-mate Gus Atkinson have been dropped from the squad for next week\u2019s second Test against New Zealand at the Oval, the England and Wales Cricket Board announced Wednesday.
\nThe pair are currently facing an ECB probe for breaking a team curfew following England\u00b4s win in the first Test at Lord\u00b4s.
\nJoe Root will step in as interim captain in Stokes\u00b4s absence.
\n\u201cThe England & Wales Cricket Board can confirm that, given the ongoing investigation, Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson have not been made available for selection for the Rothesay second Test against New Zealand, which starts at the Kia Oval on Wednesday 17 June,\u201d said an ECB statement.
\n\u201cYorkshire batter Joe Root will lead the team as interim captain.
\n\u201cSussex fast bowler Jofra Archer and Essex batter Jordan Cox have been added to the squad.\u201d
\nThe ECB announced Monday they were looking into Stokes\u2019s involvement in a nightclub incident also involving Saracens rugby player Totoa Auvaa on Monday morning following England\u2019s 115-run win in the first Test at Lord\u2019s.
\nIt is the latest controversy concerning the England team after the tour of Australia where the side faced allegations of a drinking culture during a 4-1 Ashes series loss.
\nA physical confrontation with Auvaa is understood to have led to a member of ECB security staff being struck.
\nBrook, already the captain of England\u2019s white-ball teams, was fined and censured for late-night drinking and clashing with a nightclub bouncer before captaining England in a one-day international in Wellington in October \u2014 an incident that led to the midnight curfew.<\/p>\n
Team management decided against promoting vice-captain Harry Brook, instead opting for former skipper Root to lead the side at the Oval.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Joe Root will step in as interim captain in Stokes\u2019s absence, says ECB in a statement LONDON England captain Ben Stokes and team-mate Gus Atkinson have been dropped from the squad for next week\u2019s second Test against New Zealand at the Oval, the England and Wales Cricket Board announced Wednesday. The pair are currently facing […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":550625,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-550594","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sports"],"yoast_head":"\n