England captain Ben Stokes apologises to his teammates before his return for the third Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge. Multiple outlets report that Stokes makes the apology as part of his return after missing the second Test at the Oval. The BBC and The Independent both say Stokes apologises to his team-mates and indicates he is focused on the match this week. The Guardian adds further context, saying Stokes speaks about being stood down before the Oval game on disciplinary grounds after he and Gus Atkinson breach the team curfew following victory in the first Test at Lord’s. The Guardian also reports that Stokes says he was “hurt” by criticism aimed at Joe Root, who captains in his absence, and that he has apologised for making the situation “about him not them.” The Daily Mail similarly reports that Stokes apologises to his players after last week’s incident affected the squad, while linking the broader discussion to his off-field absence. Across the reports, the common elements are Stokes’s apology to teammates and his focus on returning for the third Test.