Multiple outlets report that Ben Stokes is expected to return to the England team for the third Test against New Zealand. Channel NewsAsia and Sky Sports say England are anticipating his availability for the next match, with head coach Brendon McCullum commenting that Stokes is expected back. The Independent and Yahoo Sports add context, stating that Stokes was left out of the second Test after a curfew breach. Other sources, including Sky News and the Belfast Telegraph, similarly describe his return as imminent or likely, suggesting he could be reinstated for the third match following his absence from the previous Test. While the reports broadly agree on his expected presence, they do not provide detailed information on disciplinary outcomes or whether any further conditions apply beyond his omission for the curfew breach. As a result, the overall picture across sources is that Stokes’s exclusion from the second Test was linked to a curfew violation, and England now plan for his return in the third Test against New Zealand.