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The England vs New Zealand 2nd Test has recently concluded, with the Kiwis defeating the home team by 253 runs and leveling the three-match series. Now the third and last Test will be decisive on June 25 at Trent Bridge. Earlier, Brendon McCullum gave a big update on England captain Ben Stokes, who missed the second Test.
McCullum said it looks like Ben Stokes will return to Trent Bridge as Test captain. This is a big update from the England national cricket team camp after their star all-rounder was dropped from the squad due to a curfew breach with fast bowler Gus Atkinson and being involved in a physical altercation with a former rugby player.
Why couldn’t Ben Stokes play the second test?
Ben Stokes had a physical fight with the former Samoa A and Samoa Under-20 captain, who is 6 feet 5 inches (1.95 m) tall. Whose video went viral and he also broke the team curfew by going to the club. He was punished for breaching the curfew along with Atkinson and both were dropped, with Joe Root handed the captaincy.
Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson were allowed to play in the County Championship, despite being dropped from the Test team due to the investigation process. Both of them were removed from their respective camps in Durham and Surrey at the request of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). This was seen as hope for a comeback.
Brendon McCullum confirms Stokes’ return
Now McCullum has sealed the deal by confirming after the end of the second Test match. Ben Stokes has been an integral part of the England Test team for years and his captaincy under McCullum has been brilliant and important due to the new style of cricket ‘Baseball’.
McCullum said, “Yes, that’s what we are planning at this stage. The rest of the team will be out later. Today? This afternoon, once we tell some of the boys.”
Brendon McCullum says England are ‘hoping’ Ben Stokes will captain England in the third Test. pic.twitter.com/0yR5rNdjMI
– Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) June 21, 2026
“But yes, we’re hoping that happens later today. It’s obviously a quick turnaround, so we need to make sure we give people the message of stability and deliver it appropriately. But we’re hopeful that Ben will be back in the captaincy.”
I was comfortable with the balance of the team- Brendon McCullum
Apart from this, McCullum said about the balance of the team, “I was comfortable with the balance of the team. I was comfortable with the team we chose. We dropped only 10 catches. I don’t know how many Tests have been won when you drop 10 catches, but it is almost impossible to be successful.”
“So, look, we did some good things. We had some chances. We didn’t take them. But for us now, it’s a matter of knowing that we go to Trent Bridge. We won the whole series after a really good performance at Lord’s. Not such a good week here against a good New Zealand team.”
