English Test captain Ben Stokes and pacer Gus Atkinson are set to miss out on the next set of fixtures in the Country Championships after they were withdrawn from their respective squads on Sunday.
The decision, made following a request from ECB, indicates that Stoke and Atkinson could return in action for England in the third Test against New Zealand.
The duo had missed out on the second Test after being placed under an ECB investigation into an incident in a London nightclub after the first-Test victory at Lord’s.
Both players shone for their County sides, with Stokes scoring a 95 for Durham and Atkinson claiming four wickets for Surrey.
In their absence, England has struggled against the Kiwis in the second Test, with the side chasing a mammoth 463-run target in the final innings.
Published on Jun 21, 2026
