Stokes out of England squad, Root named captain

Key developments are emerging from the global stage. Stokes out of England squad, Root named captainImage source, Getty ImagesByStephan Shemilt Cricket CorrespondentPublished6 minutes agoBen Stokes will miss England's second Test against New Zealand at The Oval following an incident in a London nightclub, with Joe Root stepping up as interim captain. Stokes and pace bowler Gus Atkinson, who is also omitted from the squad, broke the team's midnight curfew in the early hours of Monday morning and were present when a member of England's security staff was struck by Saracens rugby player Totoa Auvaa.

Harry Brook is England's vice-captain, yet has been overlooked. He was punched by a bouncer outside a nightclub in Wellington in October on the eve of a one-day international against New Zealand.

The Details

And so it means a sensational return to the captaincy for Root, who led England in a record 64 Tests between 2017 and 2022. The 35-year-old, who is England's all-time leading run-scorer, stepped down after a sequence of one win in 17 Tests.

He was succeeded by his good friend Stokes. Pace bowler Jofra Archer and batter Jordan Cox have been added to the squad that won the first Test at Lord's by 115 runs.

The development has drawn wide international attention, with diplomatic circles watching closely.