London: England head coach Brendon McCullum confirmed on Sunday that regular Test captain Ben Stokes will lead the third and final match of the red-ball home series against New Zealand in Nottingham from June 25-29.
Stokes, England’s Test captain from 2022, was dropped from the Three Lions squad for the second home Test against New Zealand after an investigation into his alleged breach of the team’s curfew and an altercation with Saracens rugby player Todo Auwa following the opener’s 115 in the series.
England, led by veteran batsman Joe Root, finished the second Test without Stokes earlier today and the tour team won by 253 runs.
With the home series now tied at 1-1, England coach McCullum confirmed the keen all-rounder will return for the high-stakes tournament and said their squad will be announced this afternoon.
“First Ben will be back and we will name the team this afternoon. Ben will be back and captain. Everyone is excited about that,” McCullum said.
Ahead of the Oval Test, Stokes will meet his advisors to decide his future amid growing speculation that he may retire from international cricket, according to reports in the international media.
However, the all-rounder returned to action and scored 95 for Durham in the County Championship against Northamptonshire, his highest score in all cricket since his Test century against India in July last year.
McCullum welcomed Stokes’ return to form with the bat and shared that he had been in touch with the England Test captain after the nightclub incident, but refused to give any insights into their conversations, deeming them private.
“People are always going to disagree, that’s the way things are. People read things differently. I’ve been talking to Ben every day since the incident and obviously trying to be supportive,” McCallum had said.
“I think it will be great for him to play this week and get some runs and find some of that form again. We know Ben Stokes is an asset that every team wants to have, to be fit, firing and at his best.
“Those conversations with Stokes are private; I won’t go into them. But people can judge things differently. But I’m worried about Ben and I’m glad he got some game time (for Durham) for a bit,” he continued.