Ben Stokes returns in 3rd ENG vs NZ Test after getting dropped from 2nd match

3 min readJun 21, 2026 09:10 PM IST

England's Ben Stokes reacts as he leaves the field after their win in the Test match against New Zealand at Lord's cricket ground in London, Sunday, June 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

England on Sunday recalled captain Ben Stokes and pacer Gus Atkinson for the third and final Test against New Zealand which is set to start on June 25 in Trent Bridge. The duo were dropped from the team for the second Test due to ECB investigating a nightclub incident involving the two after the 1st Test.

“Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson have been included in the England Men’s squad for the third Rothesay Test against New Zealand following the conclusion of an ECB disciplinary hearing in relation to their conduct in the early hours of Monday 8 June. Stokes and Atkinson were found to have breached specific contractual obligations that require England players to at all times maintain the highest standards of conduct and act in the best interests of England cricket,” ECB said in a statement.

“In addition to not being considered for selection for the second Rothesay Test, they have both been given a written warning as to their conduct. It was also concluded that no blame should be attached to the players for violent conduct at the nightclub. Stokes was not involved in the altercation and did not witness either incident. The evidence the ECB has seen demonstrates that Atkinson was the victim of unprovoked attacks and did not retaliate on either occasion,” it added.

Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson have been included our squad for the third Test against New Zealand.

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) June 21, 2026

Stokes and Atkinson were dropped from England’s XI for the second Test, with veteran Joe Root being named interim captain. The pair breached the team’s midnight curfew and were reportedly present when an England security staff member was involved in an incident with a Saracens rugby player.

The decision to bring Stokes and Atkinson back came on the day when England were thrashed by new Zealand by 253 runs with the series now firmly poised at 1-1.

New Zealand pace bowler Matt Henry ran through England’s tail to give his side a 253-run victory in the second ⁠test ​at The Oval. Starting the fifth day on 182-5 chasing 463 ​for an ​unlikely victory, England folded ⁠quickly and were all out for 209 after less than ‌an hour of play.

Henry took all five wickets in the morning, removing Joe Root lbw for 77 with the first ball of his second over of the ⁠day – Root ⁠adding only two runs to his overnight score.

Two balls later ⁠he ‌bowled Jofra Archer for ​a duck and in ‌his next over he had Matthew Fisher playing on to his ‌stumps without ​scoring. ​Then with ​the next ball he had Josh Tongue edging to ​Daryl Mitchell.

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Henry then finished it ⁠off by bowling Jordan Cox with an in-swinging yorker to take his ‌match ⁠haul to 11 wickets.