England captain Ben Stokes and teammate Gus Atkinson have been dropped from the squad for next week's second cricket test against New Zealand. The England & Wales Cricket Board stated on Wednesday that the pair have not been made available for selection for the match starting June 17 at The Oval.
The decision follows an investigation into an incident in a London nightclub. According to the board, Stokes and Atkinson breached team protocols during a night out after England's victory over New Zealand in the first test at Lord's on Sunday.
With Stokes unavailable, former captain Joe Root will step up as interim leader for the team. Media reports suggest that Stokes is considering his leadership future following the nightclub incident and the resulting investigation by the cricket board.
The situation has brought further scrutiny to the culture and professionalism of England's test team following a humiliating Ashes tour.