England captain Ben Stokes and pacer Gus Atkinson have been dropped from the squad for the second Test against New Zealand, starting on June 17 at The Oval, following their involvement in a nightclub incident. The duo's exclusion comes after they were reportedly involved in a brawl at a London nightclub, breaching the England and Wales Cricket Board's (ECB) strict curfew rules.
In their place, pacer Jofra Archer and wicketkeeper-batsman Jordan Cox have been included in the squad. Joe Root will captain the side in Stokes' absence during the Oval Test.
The incident occurred after the first Test victory at Lord's, where Stokes and Atkinson were accused of staying out past the ECB's midnight curfew. The altercation involved a rugby player, and a security officer from the cricket board was reportedly injured.
The ECB has launched an investigation into the matter, and Stokes and Atkinson will remain out of the team until the inquiry is completed. Despite winning the first Test, the off-field behavior has dealt a significant blow to the English camp.
