Ben Stokes is a good friend: Coach Brendon McCullum dismisses rift rumours with England captain

England head coach Brendon McCullum has dismissed suggestions of a rift with Ben Stokes, insisting the England captain remains a “good friend” as the hosts prepare for the deciding third Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge.

Questions over the relationship between McCullum and Stokes resurfaced during the captain’s absence from the second Test at The Oval, where England suffered a crushing 253-run defeat to allow New Zealand to level the series at 1-1.

Stokes and fast bowler Gus Atkinson missed the match after being suspended for breaching the team’s midnight curfew following England’s victory in the opening Test at Lord’s. The pair were also present during an incident in London in which a member of England’s security staff was struck by a Saracens’ rugby player.

Following the conclusion of a disciplinary hearing, both players have been cleared to return for the third Test, and McCullum used his pre-match press conference to reject reports that his relationship with Stokes had become strained.

The England coach revealed that he addressed the speculation directly when Stokes rejoined the squad on Tuesday.

“I said: ‘Do you know where this has come from, the conversations around our relationship over the last six months?'” McCullum told reporters.

“He said: ‘No, I have no idea.’ I said to him: ‘As far as I’m concerned, I consider you a good friend.'”

McCullum said the pair remain closely aligned despite the scrutiny that has accompanied England’s recent setbacks, including their Ashes defeat in Australia and the loss at The Oval.

“Obviously we’ve been through a lot together as a working pair in leadership positions here in English cricket,” McCullum said.

“In the end, we both want what’s right and what is the best for English cricket.”

The former New Zealand captain has worked alongside Stokes since taking charge of England’s Test side in 2022, helping oversee a transformation in the team’s approach to red-ball cricket.

Speculation over the pair’s relationship had also surfaced during England’s difficult Ashes campaign, but McCullum said there was no truth behind the latest rumours.

“It’s been a real privilege for me over the past four years to work in intimate detail and as a partnership alongside Ben,” he said.

“I look back on that fondly, about how tight we were as a group and how tight we were as a pair. Anything outside of that, it’s not really up to us. Ben and I are tight.”

STOKES RETURNS FOR SERIES DECIDER

England have made four changes for the third Test, with Stokes, Atkinson, spinner Shoaib Bashir and wicketkeeper Jamie Smith returning to the side. Smith missed the previous Test while on paternity leave.

The changes move England closer to the side that won the first Test at Lord’s. Although Ollie Robinson has recovered from the knee problem that ruled him out of the second Test, he has not been recalled, with Jofra Archer retaining his place in the pace attack.

James Rew, Jordan Cox, Matthew Fisher and Sonny Baker have all been left out of the squad.

England XI for the third Test: Ben Duckett, Emilio Gay, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jamie Smith, Ben Stokes (captain), Gus Atkinson, Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue, Shoaib Bashir.

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