Ben Stokes apologizes to England teammates, urges focus on New Zealand series decider

England captain Ben Stokes has revealed he has apologized to his team-mates after the controversy surrounding his suspension overshadowed England’s Test series against New Zealand, insisting his sole focus is now leading the side to victory in the series-clinching third Test at Trent Bridge.

Stokes returns to the England XI after being cleared by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the cricket regulator following an investigation into the nightclub incident which occurred after England’s first Test win at Lord’s on 8 June. All-rounder and fast bowler Gus Atkinson were both he failed the second test after breaking team curfew and were later given written warnings for non-fulfillment of contractual obligations.

Their absence proved costly as England suffered a crushing 253-run defeat at The Oval, allowing New Zealand to level the three-match series at 1-1 and force a winner-takes-all showdown at Trent Bridge.

OWN RESPONSIBILITY

Ahead of the crucial encounter, Stokes admitted the episode had caused an unwanted distraction and said he took responsibility for its impact on the team.

“A lot has happened, there’s no hiding from it,” Stokes said. “It was something that happened and obviously it took a lot of attention away from the series. But I want to make sure I put my focus where it needs to be.”

The England captain revealed that he had personally apologized to teammates and support staff for the disruption caused by the investigation.

“You have to be big enough and manly enough to take it on your shoulders and look everyone in the eye and apologize the way you need to apologize,” Stokes said.

“It’s affected more than just me. It’s affected Joe Root, the team, people outside the playing environment. It’s certainly affected the guys making their debuts.

Stokes said his focus is now firmly on helping England clinch the series after a turbulent fortnight away from the field.

NO MCCULLUM RIFT

The controversy also sparked speculation of tension between Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum, with England’s aggressive “Bazball” philosophy coming under scrutiny after six defeats in the last eight Tests.

But Stokes dismissed suggestions of a rift, insisting the pair remained close despite occasionally disagreeing on cricketing matters.

“There’s been a big misconception about that with me and Brendon,” Stokes said. “We’re really, really good friends. We’ve built a rapport and relationship and we’ve been through some testing times and some great times. Do we agree on everything? Absolutely not. Do we discuss things? Absolutely.”

“Disagreeing on everything shouldn’t be seen as a divide between Brendon and me.

England head into the Trent Bridge Test under pressure, with questions about the direction of the team after a difficult run of results.

BACK ROOT

Stokes also defended Joe Root, who came in as captain during the second Test and faced criticism after England’s heavy defeat at The Oval.

“To see him stand up and take responsibility last week showed a lot about his character,” Stokes said. “As his friend, it was hard for me to see the reaction he got.

With both Stokes and Atkinson recalled, England will be desperate for a tumultuous fortnight. For the returning captain, the priority is simple: block out the noise, unify the dressing room and lead England to a series win against New Zealand.

– The end

Issued by:

Amar Panicker

Published on:

25 Jun 2026 0:18 IST