Ben Stokes, who was made unavailable for the ongoing second Test for England against New Zealand at the Oval, owing to an ongoing investigation into a nightclub incident that took place in the aftermath of the team's win in the first Test at Lord's, is all set to return to action. The England all-rounder has been picked in the Durham squad for their home match against Northamptonshire in Chester-le-Street beginning Friday (June 19) in the County Championship.
England captain Ben Stokes and team-mate Gus Atkinson have been dropped from the squad for next week's second Test against New Zealand -- (AFP)
{{^htLoading}} {{/htLoading}}
After the Lord's Test, Stokes and teammate Gus Atkinson had violated England's new curfew rule to go to Chelsea nightclub, where they were allegedly involved in a melee. The incident also involved Saracens Rugby Club player Totoa Auvaa, who reportedly punched an ECB security officer accompanying Stokes and Atkinson, and he required stitches.
ECB has yet to announce an official verdict, with the investigation into the matter still ongoing; however, the two were made unavailable for the second Test against New Zealand.
This will be Stokes' third appearance for Durham this season, and the game will run parallel with the ongoing Oval Test, where Joe Root has been named as the interim skipper.
{{^htLoading}} {{/htLoading}}
{{^usCountry}}
The development came after Director of Cricket Rob Key and head coach Brendon McCullum remained non-committal about his future.
{{/usCountry}}
{{#usCountry}}
The development came after Director of Cricket Rob Key and head coach Brendon McCullum remained non-committal about his future.
{{/usCountry}}
Durham, led by Alex Less, stands top of the table in Division Two after scripting an unbeaten run this season in seven matches. They have 126 points in the County Championship.
Stokes returned to training for Durham after the ECB cleared him to play for the club.
"Ben is a competitor and he loves to play and he wants to play," Durham coach Ryan Campbell told the BBC. "He put his hand up and said he made a mistake. From what I've seen, he's in good spirits, he's back in training, working hard and the rest will take care of itself."
{{^htLoading}} {{/htLoading}}
Meanwhile, Atkinson is available for Surrey's match against Glamorgan.
Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.
Get live cricket scores, match updates, schedules, results and ICC rankings. Follow the latest news, statistics and performances of top teams and players on Hindustan Times.
Get live cricket scores, match updates, schedules, results and ICC rankings. Follow the latest news, statistics and performances of top teams and players on Hindustan Times.
Home/Cricket/Ben Stokes back in action after Oval Test axe as nightclub probe continues to cast shadow
{{^htLoading}}
Advertisement
{{/htLoading}}
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
{{#usCountry}}{{/usCountry}}
Hindustantimes wants to start sending you push notifications. Click allow to subscribe
