Ben Stokes of England leaves the field with an injury during Day 4 of the Fifth Men’s Ashes Test between Australia and England at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney, Australia, 07 January 2026. Stokes and pace bowler Gus Atkinson are both included in the side for the series decider after being made unavailable for the second test at The Oval, which New Zealand won to level the series, after an incident at a London nightclub.
The Cricket Regulator cleared the duo to return for Trent Bridge after an England and Wales Cricket Board investigation found that while both players had broken a team curfew they were not involved in an incident in which a Saracens rugby player reportedly struck a member of the England team’s security staff.
Jamie Smith is back behind the stumps for England, while off-spinner Shoaib Bashir is also included.
New Zealand are without Oval match winner Matt Henry due to a calf injury, while Glenn Phillips has a side strain and Kyle Jamieson is rested. In come Ben Sears, Mitchell Santner and Blair Tickner.
(Reporting by Neil Squires; Editing by Hugh Lawson)