Ben Stokes has been omitted from England's squad for the second Test against New Zealand at The Oval following a London nightclub incident, and Joe Root will captain the side. The England and Wales Cricket Board said Ben Stokes and fast bowler Gus Atkinson were not made available for selection as part of an ongoing investigation into a breach of the team's midnight curfew. Jofra Archer and wicketkeeper-batter Jordan Cox were called into the squad, and Joe Root, who captained England 64 times between 2017 and 2022, will lead the team. Former England captain Michael Vaughan said Stokes should not lose the Test captaincy, a view that leaves England's leadership question central to the Oval Test outcome.
