The Athletic has launched a Cricket WhatsApp Channel. Click here to join.He was apologetic, to his team at least, but not particularly repentant. He did his best to straight bat all questions about what actually happened during an extraordinary two weeks for him and English cricket. Perhaps significantly, though, he refused to commit to the England captaincy beyond a third Test he cannot afford to lose.The much-anticipated first public utterings by Ben Stokes since the late night out in Chelsea that left English cricket in a state of crisis raised as many questions as answers.And the biggest one left unresolved was the future of Stokes as England captain and player after the deciding Test against the country of his birth at a Trent Bridge ground that has provided so many of his happiest memories.Maybe it is simply that Stokes knows how much is on the line over the next five days. Win against New Zealand to take the series and a line could be drawn under the latest scandal that has rocked his extraordinary career of highs and lows.If England lose, it would be the first time in a home series of three or more Tests in 14 years, going back to Kevin Pietersen and the text-gate affair, when it was revealed the batter had been sending derogatory messages about his captain Andrew Strauss to the South African team. Defeat would leave the futures of England’s skipper, coach Brendon McCullum and managing director Rob Key in the balance again.In that context, it was a measured and careful Stokes who faced the media in Nottingham. There was no real contrition other than a heartfelt sense of regret at what his absence at the Oval meant for his great friend Joe Root, who stood in as captain, and the England team.But there were no swipes, obvious or subtle, at an ECB hierarchy he has been said to be at war with and there was a firm denial of a rift with McCullum, echoing the sentiments expressed by the England coach on Tuesday. Stokes even thought the tumultuous events of the last fortnight may have brought captain and coach closer.Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum at practice on Tuesday (Gareth Copley/Getty Images)Only when he acknowledged the support of an England cricketing public who still clearly back him over anyone else involved in the sorry state of the team did he say anything that could be considered even vaguely as points scoring at the ECB’s expense.“I don’t want the love and support I’ve felt from team-mates, fans and even you lot to a certain extent (the media) to be overlooked,” said Stokes. “It’s been very nice.”If anything, Stokes looked more energised than before the first Test when he appeared drained and tetchy and former England captains like Mike Atherton and Michael Vaughan were wondering even then whether he was coming to the end of the road.So, will he be England captain when Pakistan visit in August and beyond to what is believed to be his end goal of leading the side in next year’s Ashes?“I understand there are a lot of questions you want to ask but I hope you respect I’m focusing on this week,” said Stokes. “I want to make sure my attention is where it needs to be. We have followed a process and the disciplinary thing is done and I’m captaining the side this week. There is a lot more riding on this than there normally would be.”Clearer and more effusive were Stokes’ feelings about the team he left at the mercy of a rampant New Zealand at the Oval. “Of course I apologised to them, it was one of the first things I had to do,” he said. “You look at the situation and it affected more than just me.“It affected Joe, the squad, the people outside the playing environment. It no doubt had an effect on lads who were making their debuts (Sonny Baker, James Rew and Jordan Cox). It should have been all about them but a situation out of their control took precedence over their big days.“It’s all very well when things are fine and dandy but you need to take responsibility when they aren’t and you need to be big enough and man enough to take it on your shoulders, look everyone in the eye it has affected and apologise. That’s what I did.”Ben Stokes is back in the England fold after missing the Oval Test (Philip Brown/Getty Images)Particularly to Root, who found himself captaining an inexperienced and ultimately outclassed England side. “We have known each other since we were kids,” said Stokes.“He got put in a situation he never thought would be bestowed on him again when he walked away from the captaincy (in 2022) but seeing him stand up and take on that responsibility again said a lot about his character. He put the team first as he has done so many times.“It was hard for me as a friend to see and read some of the reaction Joe had. Watching the guys lose was not nice but then seeing some of the reaction that Joe undeservedly got was something that hurt me not only as a colleague but as a friend.”There was support for Gus Atkinson, who was also given a written warning by the ECB for breaking team protocols but cleared by a separate investigation by the Cricket Regulator into their apparent breaking of a team curfew Stokes largely instigated himself.“I spoke with Gus quite a lot during all this,” said Stokes. “I said to him, ‘It’s not my first rodeo, being in something like this, mate. It is tough and hard to get through but it will be alright. Take my advice, just let time do its thing’. Like me, he is totally focused on the team and the result this week.”It is a Test that Stokes will go into boosted, in a way, by his unexpected outing for Durham, when he made 95 against Northamptonshire while England toiled at the Oval. “It was nice to get out there and score some runs,” he said. “I just cleared my mind of everything and made it pretty simple. Just go out there and react to the ball.“I was maybe overcomplicating things with the bat but I had a really clear mind. Maybe being on the front pages for the wrong reasons could be good for my cricket.”And that really would be an unexpected bonus from another eventful chapter in the Stokes story.