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McCullum ready to work with captain Stokes againImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Stokes and McCullum have led England’s Test side since 2022ByStephan Shemilt
England head coach Brendon McCullum says he can work with Ben Stokes when the captain returns for the third Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge.
Stokes and pace bowler Gus Atkinson were made unavailable for the huge second-Test defeat pending an investigation into an incident in a London nightclub.
Following a 4-1 Ashes series defeat that was dogged by off-field problems, both Stokes and McCullum denied their relationship had deteriorated in Australia.
Then, following England’s win in the first Test since the Ashes – against New Zealand at Lord’s – Stokes broke the team’s midnight curfew in celebrating the victory.
The results of the investigation are still to be confirmed, but McCullum told BBC Test Match Special he is expecting Stokes and Atkinson to be available in Nottingham, with Stokes resuming the captaincy.
On his relationship with the captain, McCullum mentioned: “You’re just trying to make sure you’re very communicative right throughout.
“We all got the same ambition, which is to make English cricket a very good team and to try to achieve results on the field, and that hasn’t changed.”
McCullum mentioned he has spoken to Stokes “every day” since the nightclub incident, which occurred in the early hours of Monday, 8 June.
The New Zealander also confirmed England director of cricket Rob Key has visited Stokes this week.
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Stokes returned to action for Durham against Northamptonshire in the County Championship and on Saturday struck 95, his highest score in any cricket since last July.
But Stokes and Atkinson, who was playing for Surrey at Glamorgan, were withdrawn from their matches on Sunday in order to be ready to play in the third Test, beginning on Thursday.
“We’re anticipating they will be available for selection,” mentioned McCullum. “It’s a quick turnaround to the next one and we have those decisions and discussions to have.
“I would anticipate they will be in that squad, yes.”
On Stokes resuming the captaincy, a position he has held since 2022, McCullum added: “Yeah, I would assume so. That is what we’re looking at at the moment.
“It is what it is. The process is under way and once we get to Trent Bridge our focus will be on making sure we’re able to get a collective unit together, to drill down on our tactics and execute better than what we have in this Test.”
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When McCullum spoke to the media two days before the second Test at The Oval, he repeatedly spoke of his “worry” and “concern” for Stokes.
McCullum then saw an inexperienced England team beaten by 253 runs to leave the series level at 1-1, setting up a decider in Nottingham.
And, speaking after defeat on the final day at The Oval, McCullum mentioned the episode had been an “unwelcome distraction”.
McCullum added: “Everyone acknowledges that what unfolded wasn’t ideal.
“We’re working through that process and we’ll get to a stage that when we arrive at Trent Bridge we’ll be able to pick from a full squad.
“You’ve always got to navigate through certain things and this is just another example.
“We’ll let this one land a little bit, then start to plot and plan our way towards Trent Bridge. We have the opportunity to win a series against a very good New Zealand side.”
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