England make four changes to their XI for the series-deciding third Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge after a heavy defeat at The Oval levelled the contest 1-1. Ben Stokes, Gus Atkinson, Jamie Smith and Shoaib Bashir are recalled, replacing players from the second Test. Stokes and Atkinson miss the second match due to breaching team curfew, but both are cleared of violent conduct related to the incident. The selections therefore bring back two senior figures for the decisive game while also restoring Smith and Bashir to the lineup. England’s head coach Brendon McCullum addresses additional context around Stokes, dismissing speculation that there is a rift between the player and the team. With the third Test determining the series outcome, England’s selection decisions focus on returning players who were unavailable for the previous Test, while retaining a balanced squad for the final match.