McCullum dismisses rift talk, says ‘Stokes and I are good friends’

Nottingham, June 23 (SocialNews.XYZ) Brendon McCullum has dismissed speculation of a rift with England captain Ben Stokes, insisting the pair remain close friends as England prepare for a decisive third Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge.

Stokes returned to the England squad on Tuesday after missing the second Test at The Oval due to a breach of the team's midnight curfew. McCullum expressed confusion over claims that their relationship had soured.

"I asked him, 'Do you know where this talk about our relationship has come from over the last six months?'" McCullum told reporters before the series decider. "He replied, 'No, I have no idea.' I told him, 'As far as I'm concerned, I consider you a good friend.'"

This reunion is crucial for England, who lost their series lead after a heavy defeat in the second Test. They are now tied at 1-1 with New Zealand heading into the final match. Concerns about the McCullum-Stokes partnership grew during Stokes' absence, especially after the England coach expressed worry for the skipper before the second Test. Durham head coach Ryan Campbell later mentioned that Stokes was in "good spirits," while chief executive Tim Bostock said he was puzzled by McCullum's comments.

Clarifying his remarks, McCullum stated the situation had improved considerably. "Initially, I was slightly worried, but now I see that he looks great and is ready to go. He looks fantastic, he seems eager about the week, and it's nice to have the team back together."

McCullum emphasised the strength of their partnership, built over four years during England's red-ball resurgence. "It has been a real privilege for me to work closely alongside Ben. I look back fondly on how tight we were as a group and as a pair. Anything outside of that is beyond our control. Ben and I are close."

England's training session in Nottingham seemed to confirm this bond, with Stokes and McCullum embracing before discussing plans with selector Marcus North ahead of the team announcement. Stokes also came into this match in good form, scoring 95 for Durham against Northamptonshire during his break from international cricket.

"I thought he batted brilliantly," McCullum said. "He even texted me, asking, 'Have you seen the highlights?' I said I had, and he responded, 'I'm back.'"

The third Test is important for England. A loss would give New Zealand a rare series win in England and worsen concerns about England's red-ball performance, having won only two of their last nine Tests. However, McCullum believes that tough times reveal the true qualities of a leadership team.

"Anyone can lead when things are easy," he said. "The true measure of a leader or leadership group is their ability to lead during tough times."

Recalling a conversation with former England white-ball captain Eoin Morgan after the 2015 World Cup, McCullum added, "I remember Eoin coming to me and asking, 'What do you think I should do?' I told him, 'Tough times don't last, but tough people do.' I think it's the same here—you must be ready to face challenges, knowing that if you can navigate through them, good things will follow."

McCullum also addressed the controversy surrounding England's midnight curfew after Stokes and paceman Gus Atkinson were sidelined during an investigation into events after the first Test victory at Lord's. Both players have since been cleared to return.

"It's well known now how we view not only the curfew but also our standards around protocols and conduct," McCullum said. "It's important to know when and where to have fun, and we always encourage that. But excess is not what we want. When mistakes happen, we need to address them and move forward as a team. That's our focus right now."

Source: IANS