England head coach Brendon McCullum insists there has been no breakdown in his relationship with returning captain Ben Stokes, declaring that “it’s nice to have the band back together”.
Stokes and fast bowler Gus Atkinson resumed training with their teammates at Trent Bridge on Tuesday afternoon, ending a two-week exile that saw them miss the series-levelling defeat at the Kia Oval.
The pair were stood down following an incident at a London nightclub in the early hours of 8 June, though they were largely cleared in two subsequent investigations.
They received a written warning from the England and Wales Cricket Board for breaking “specific contractual obligations” but had no case to answer when it came to two unprovoked attacks on Atkinson, while the Cricket Regulator ruled there was insufficient evidence against them.
McCullum declined the opportunity to publicly back his skipper while the probe took place and later raised questions over his state of mind, leading to renewed speculation over the pair’s bond after a difficult Ashes winter.
But McCullum claimed they were on the same page after a lengthy chat prior to England’s net session.
“I’ve had a good catch-up with him this morning, an hour and a bit talking, and he was outstanding,” said McCullum.
“He looks ready to go, he’s enthusiastic about the week and, obviously from our point of view, it’s nice to have the band back together.”
Asked if recent events had put a wedge between them, he added: “Not at all. We talked about that this morning. I said, ‘do you know where this has come from, the conversations around our relationship over the last six months?’
“He said ‘no, I have no idea’. I said to him, ‘as far as I’m concerned, I consider you a good friend’.
“Obviously, we’ve been through a lot together as a working pair in leadership positions here in English cricket. In the end, we both want what’s right and what is the best for English cricket and we’re crystal clear on the direction we want this team to take.”
While McCullum, and managing director of cricket Rob Key, had been wary of discussing next steps while the investigations were ongoing, he showed a new willingness to chalk the entire episode up as a minor misstep rather than the era-defining blowout it had once appeared to be.
“Everyone that has seen Ben over the course of his captaincy and worked intimately alongside him has an immense amount of respect for him, myself included,” he said. “One blemish doesn’t ruin all of that. It’s just a slight blip, then you move on. That’s where we’re at as a team, that’s where Ben is at as well.
“Anyone can lead when it’s easy. The true account of a leader, or leadership group, is to be able to lead when times are difficult.
“You’ve got to be prepared to go through some tough times knowing that if you’re able to navigate through that, and hold the fort and hold your nerve, then there’s some good stuff to come.”
Another New Zealand win in the coming days would crank up the pressure on the regime, bringing about a first home series defeat of McCullum’s four-year reign. It was widely held that only back-to-back triumphs against the Black Caps and Pakistan this summer would suffice following the horrors of the Ashes.
As for the security of his own position, McCullum said: “What will be, will be. When I took this job I knew it wasn’t going to be easy. You can’t whinge about it when you’re deep into it. There’s a stubbornness to me as well. I’m a big boy, I can get on with things.”
PA
