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

England captain Ben Stokes has revealed that he apologised to his teammates after the controversy surrounding his suspension overshadowed England’s Test series against New Zealand, insisting that his only focus now is leading the side to victory in the series-deciding 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 investigations into a nightclub incident that occurred after England’s first-Test win at Lord’s on June 8. The all-rounder and fast bowler Gus Atkinson were both dropped for the second Test after breaching a team curfew and were later handed written warnings for failing to meet 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.

OWNS RESPONSIBILITY

Speaking ahead of the decisive encounter, Stokes admitted the episode had created an unwanted distraction and said he had taken responsibility for its impact on the squad.

“There’s been a lot going on, there’s no hiding away from that,” Stokes said. “This has been something that has happened and has obviously taken a lot of attention away from the series. But I want to make sure that my focus is where it needs to be.”

The England skipper revealed that he personally apologised to teammates and support staff for the disruption caused by the investigation.

“You need to be big enough and man enough to take that upon your shoulders, and look everyone who it has affected in the eye and apologise the way you need to apologise,” Stokes said.

“It affects more than just myself. It affected Joe Root, the squad, the people outside the playing environment. It no doubt had an effect on lads who were making their debut.”

Stokes said his attention is now firmly on helping England clinch the series after a turbulent fortnight off the field.

NO MCCULLUM RIFT

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

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

“There’s been a big misconception around this with me and Brendon,” Stokes said. “We genuinely are very good mates. We’ve built a rapport and a relationship and we’ve been through some testing times and some great times. Do we agree on everything? Absolutely not. Do we have discussions around things? Absolutely.”

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

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

BACKS ROOT

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

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

With both Stokes and Atkinson recalled, England will be desperate to put a turbulent fortnight behind them. For the returning captain, the priority is simple: block out the noise, reunite the dressing room and guide England to a series victory against New Zealand.

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