NEW DELHI: England have made four changes to the playing XI for the decisive third Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge, with captain Ben Stokes and fast bowler Gus Atkinson returning to the side. Jamie Smith and Shoaib Bashir were also recalled, replacing James Rew, Jordan Cox, Matthew Fisher and Sonny Baker.The changes come after England’s disappointing 253-run defeat in the second Test at The Oval, where a heavily overhauled line-up failed to reach a target of 463. New Zealand’s win leveled the series at 1-1, setting up a winner-take-all final.Stokes and Atkinson missed the second Test after breaking a midnight curfew following England’s win in the first Test. The pair were present during the incident, which involved a member of ECB security staff and a Saracens rugby player, which led to the investigation.However, a disciplinary hearing later cleared both players of any violent conduct. The ECB stated that Stokes was not involved in the altercation, while Atkinson was the victim of unprovoked attacks and did not fight back. Both players received written warnings for violating the team’s rules of conduct.Ahead of the Trent Bridge Test, England coach Brendon McCullum dismissed speculation that his relationship with Stokes had become strained following the controversy.“We talked about it this morning,” McCullum said. “I said, ‘do you know where this came from, talking about our relationship for the last six months?’ He said ‘no, I have no idea as far as I’m concerned.'”McCullum emphasized that the two remain close and continue to work effectively together. “There is [are] there will be times where we talk about things and debate things. We always ended up making decisions together… Ben and I are close.”The manager also reminded the players of the responsibility that comes with representing England, saying that high standards on and off the pitch remain a key part of the team’s culture.
