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Root rides to English cricket's rescue and returns as captain on a 'game-by-game basis'
Root will lead England for the second Test as Stokes is dropped after a midnight curfew breach, with the captaincy set on a game-by-game basis.
On Wednesday, Joe Root returns as interim captain for England's second Test against New Zealand at The Oval, replacing Ben Stokes after he was dropped for breaching a team midnight curfew.
England dropped Stokes and team-mate Gus Atkinson following a visit to a London nightclub while celebrating the first Test win, prompting an England and Wales Cricket Board investigation into the breach.
Root previously captained England for a record 64 matches and is the all-time leading run-scorer in Test cricket, currently requiring 48 more runs to reach 14,000.
Durham coach Ryan Campbell stated Stokes is 'in good spirits' and back in training, while England head coach Brendon McCullum expressed concern for his well-being amid the ongoing investigation.
Root is taking the captaincy on a game-by-game basis and could lead England again for the third Test at Trent Bridge, which begins three days after The Oval match concludes.