Ben Stokes addresses curfew breach as England prepares for third Test
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jun 24, 2026, 7:15 PM
Last updated Jun 24, 2026
Ben Stokes, the England captain, apologized to his teammates after breaching the team's midnight curfew, which caused him and Gus Atkinson to miss the second Test against New Zealand. Stokes acknowledged the controversy overshadowed the debuts of several young players and confirmed that both he and Atkinson are now focused on the third Test, which is tied at 1-1 with New Zealand. Stokes emphasized the importance of accountability and denied any rift with coach Brendon McCullum. He stated that addressing the squad was a priority upon his return to the team.
- •Stokes and Atkinson missed the second Test due to a curfew breach.
- •England lost the second Test by 253 runs, leveling the series.
- •Stokes apologized for overshadowing players' debuts during the controversy.
- •The third Test will decide the series winner, currently at 1-1.
- •Stokes denied any ongoing rift with coach Brendon McCullum.
- 7:15 PMYahoo Sports — 'You need to apologise': Ben Stokes breaks silence on nightclub controversy after England return
"England captain Ben Stokes said he apologised to teammates after he and Gus Atkinson missed the second Test for breaching the team's midnight curfew. Stokes admitted the nightclub controversy overshadowed the debuts of several young players and affected the squad. Cleared of serious misconduct but issued warnings, Stokes stressed accountability, denied any rift with coach Brendon McCullum, and said the team is now fully focused on winning the series decider against New Zealand.
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