Predicted: How England Could Line Up For Third New Zealand Test With Stokes, Atkinson Set To Return

While the outcome of those two processes – one by the ECB and one by the Cricket Regulator – has not yet been disclosed, the pair were pulled out of their respective County Championship games after two days, indicating a recall was on the cards. Head coach Brendon McCullum, speaking after play, said after England’s defeat at The Oval that it was “looking like” Stokes would return as captain.

England made five changes for the second Test and were beaten by 253 runs, and there will be debate about the scale and tone of the reaction. England’s managing director Rob Key threatened a wholescale drinking ban and there were reports that Stokes was set to retire from international cricket altogether, with McCullum repeatedly rebuffing questions about Stokes by stressing his worries for his skipper. It now appears that those involved have come to the conclusion that it was a relatively minor indiscretion. The stark realities of sporting defeat have a way of putting off-field discipline into perspective.

England predicted XI for third New Zealand Test

The result puts England’s proud home Test record in danger. Not since 2012 have they lost a Test series longer than two matches. They will turn up at Trent Bridge in danger of breaking that streak. They are likely to be bolstered by not just Atkinson and Stokes, but also Jamie Smith, absent from the second Test after the birth of his child in the build-up. It is less clear whether Ollie Robinson, who starred at Lord’s before a knee complaint, will be fit enough to be considered for selection.

If he is, England will have a dilemma over which seamers to pick. Jofra Archer impressed on his return to the side, building up his workloads after the IPL. His fiery spell to Glenn Phillips on the first evening was a highlight of a contest New Zealand dominated. Still, if Robinson is fit, England may decide not to risk Archer in back-to-back Test matches. Matt Fisher claimed five wickets but hasn’t done enough to push himself up the pecking order, while Sonny Baker has work to do before proving himself a Test-standard seamer. England’s other debutants, James Rew and Jordan Cox, were without a score of 30 between them, and will slip back into the ranks.

Stokes’ return will also allow England to include a spinner again. Shoaib Bashir was in the Lord’s XI, but didn’t bowl, and Rehan Ahmed has had a starring role in the County Championship in the interim, making his first Division One hundred and taking two wickets to put Leicestershire on course for their first win of the season.

England made five changes after Lord’s, and may well do so again after The Oval. The series against New Zealand has been a somewhat strange contest thus far, 1-1 after two one-sided Tests, dominated by discourse around things other than individual performances, with the pitch at Lord’s, Kane Williamson’s retirement, and the curfew breach all generating headlines. With England back at full-strength, and the Rex Rooms affair receding into the distance, the Trent Bridge decider offers the opportunity for a winner-takes-all Test between two full-strength teams.

Predicted England XI: Ben Duckett, Emilio Gay, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jamie Smith (WK), Ben Stokes (C), Rehan Ahmed, Gus Atkinson, Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue.

Also read: Drink didn’t lose England the Ashes and shouldn’t cost Stokes his job

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