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.
