Ben Stokes returns to Durham training after England Test omission
England captain Ben Stokes returned to training with Durham on Saturday following a team curfew breach that ruled him out of the second Test against New Zealand.
The 35-year-old all-rounder and pace bowler Gus Atkinson are unavailable for Wednesday’s match at The Oval pending a disciplinary investigation.
Both players broke a midnight curfew following the first Test victory over the Black Caps last Sunday.
They were present in the early hours of Monday morning when a member of security staff was allegedly struck by a Saracens rugby player.
Domestic return permitted
Despite being suspended from international duties by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), both men are free to play domestic cricket.
The Durham star bowled in the middle at Chester-le-Street during his county’s Championship match against Derbyshire.
He subsequently batted in the nets alongside batting coach Dale Benkenstein and international team-mate Emilio Gay.
This paves the way for the suspended duo to feature in the next round of County Championship matches starting on Friday.
Captaincy future uncertain
Initial speculation suggested the veteran player was considering retirement in the immediate aftermath of the disciplinary incident.
However, his swift return to the nets strongly indicates a resolute desire to resume his playing career.
England director of cricket Rob Key recently confirmed he expects the talismanic leader to play international cricket again.
“I don’t see why not.”
That was the definitive response from Key when questioned about the player’s international future.
But the managing director offered no guarantees regarding the prospect of him retaining the captaincy he has held since 2022.
“There are a lot of things to happen before then. We’ve got to run the investigation, find out what happened exactly.”
Key added that no official decisions will be made until the ongoing disciplinary process is completely concluded.
The ECB maintains all options remain open, explicitly denying reports that the skipper has already been asked to stand down.
An outcome from the investigation is not expected before the second Test begins, with head coach Brendon McCullum scheduled to address the media on Monday.
