Durham chief executive Tim Bostock expressed his confusion regarding the doubts surrounding Ben Stokes' state of mind after a nightclub incident. The England Test captain, aged 35, was excluded from the squad for the second Test against New Zealand due to a breach of the team's midnight curfew.

During a press conference, England coach Brendon McCullum voiced his worries about Stokes but refrained from assuring his return as captain. Bostock, however, assured fans that Stokes is "absolutely fine," describing him as "normal Ben." He noted, "I was a little bit bemused by some of the comments about his state of mind."

The investigation into the nightclub incident, which involved a security staff member being struck by a Saracens rugby player while Stokes and pace bowler Gus Atkinson were present, is still ongoing. Despite the situation, Bostock remains hopeful for Stokes’ swift return to captaincy for the third Test at Trent Bridge next week.

Key points include:

• England instituted a curfew after multiple off-field incidents during the last winter's Ashes.
• Concerns emerged that Stokes might retire after the incident on June 8, but he resumed training with Durham last weekend.
• Stokes returned to the field against Northamptonshire, recording figures of 0-26 in nine overs.

Bostock emphasized, "[Stokes] should be playing for England," expressing optimism for his captaincy role next week, though availability for county fixtures may be impacted.