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Ahead of the third of the three-match Test series against New Zealand at Trent Bridge, England head coach Brendon McCullum tries to clear all of the negative vibes around his relationship with Ben Stokes, who has joined the squad ahead of the third Test after missing the second because of the nightclub incident.
Since the devastating series defeat against arch-rival Australia during the Ashes 2025-26, there has been a lot of talk about the relationship between the coach and the skipper, mostly hinting at a rift. McCullum has different opinions and considers Ben Stokes his close aide since taking over as head coach of the England National Cricket Team.
Rift between Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes?
Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes had a long discussion ahead of the final Test against New Zealand. After the discussion, when the former New Zealand opener stepped in to confront the media, he mentioned that all of the speculations around him and Stokes are completely baseless.
I” asked him, 'Do you know where this talk about our relationship has come from over the last six months?'" McCullum told reporters. “He replied, 'No, I have no idea.' I told him, 'As far as I'm concerned, I consider you a good friend.'”
England is in a must-win situation against New Zealand
Without Ben Stokes and the pacer Gus Atkinson in the side, England lost the second Test to the Blackcaps. As the hosts claim the first and the visitors second, the 3-match Test series is now balanced with a one-all scoreline, making the remaining match the series decider.
Before the second match, some of the comments made by Brendon McCullum sparked another series of controversy as the head coach expressed worries for the skipper who was alleged for breaching the team’s night curfew.
To water on the fire, McCullum has clarified his statements and stated that initially he was a bit worried for Ben Stokes, but he now has no doubts as the pace bowling all-rounder looks good against.
“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,” the head coach of the England cricket team told the reporters.
Ben and I are close: Brendon McCullum
McCullum further emphasizes that it is an honor for him to work closely with Ben Stokes for years, and they have shared a close relationship, and have been working as a pair for the betterment of the team.
“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,” he added.
Stoke and McCullum seemed on a good note during the team’s practice session in Nottingham. Both of them discussed the ground before approaching the selector Marcus North ahead of the team announcement.
