Ben Stokes apologised to his players for making last week about him not them after returning to captain England in the third Test against New Zealand.

The absence of Stokes, 35, and Gus Atkinson at the Oval while they were investigated by both the Cricket Regulator and their ECB bosses left England undermanned and under the interim leadership of Joe Root.

New Zealand dispatched a home side fielding three debutants by 253 runs to set up a series decider at Trent Bridge this week, and with Stokes desperate to be forward facing following the controversy, he addressed the squad before Tuesday’s training session.

‘That was one of the first things I had to do as a captain. You look at the situation, and it affects more than just myself,’ he said.

‘It affects a lot of people, it affected Joe, the squad, the people outside the playing environment. It no doubt had an effect on lads who were making their debut.

‘That should have been all about them, but unfortunately a situation outside of their control took precedence over their big days, making their debut for England in Test cricket.

‘It would be stupid and naive of me not to acknowledge and address that. It’s something you do have to do, as someone who has responsibility of being a leader in a group.

‘It’s all fine and well everything being fine and dandy when it’s all going well, but you need to take responsibility for things as well. You need to be big enough and man enough to take that upon your shoulders, and look everyone who it has affected in the eye and apologise the way you need to apologise. That is something that I did.’

He also backed up England coach Brendon McCullum’s claims of just a few hours earlier that they remain friends away from the game, but don’t always agree in their professional roles.