Ben Stokes: Brendon McCullum prepared to work with returning England Test captain going forward

England head coach Brendon McCullum says he is ready to 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.

The results of the investigation are still to be revealed, but McCullum has confirmed Stokes will return as captain - a position he has held since 2022 - in Nottingham.

"Ben will be back," said McCullum. "He'll be back and he'll be captain."

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.

On his relationship with Stokes, McCullum told BBC Test Match Special: "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 also revealed England director of cricket Rob Key has visited Stokes this week.

"We've worked together intimately for four years," said McCullum. "We've achieved some cool things and let ourselves down in other things.

"Our motivation, belief and ambition for this side has not wavered. We have robust conversations all the way through and I think that is to be expected when you're in positions of leadership. There is a mutual respect to how we operate with those.

"I anticipate we'll be able to work together really well in the week coming and I'm sure that both of us have that same vision for this cricket team."

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.

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But Stokes and Atkinson, who was playing for Surrey at Glamorgan, were withdrawn from their matches on Sunday in order to be ready to play in the third Test, beginning on Thursday.

"I've been speaking to Ben every single day since we had the incident and my assessment was that I was worried about him," he added.

"To see him go out there and play some cricket and look like he was enjoying himself is really positive.

"I'm not going to divulge our conversations because they are confidential but it's great to see him back playing and I look forward to seeing him in a couple of days."

This episode is the latest in a series of controversies that have hung over England since their winter tours.

In October, white-ball captain Harry Brook was struck by a nightclub bouncer in Wellington on the eve of a one-day international against New Zealand. Jacob Bethell and Josh Tongue were also present.

In December, on England's mid-Ashes holiday in Noosa, opener Ben Duckett was filmed, apparently drunk, by members of the public. The footage was posted on social media.

"It is quite annoying, to be totally honest, constantly having to deal with these issues," said McCullum.

"I like creating an environment where guys feel free, they are enjoying themselves, having a good time, travelling the world, trying to handle the pressures of playing international cricket, but I don't condone some of the stuff we have done and I've been very strong on that.

"I will continue to be strong on it. It is incredibly disappointing that we have had to deal with those issues. I would like us to just become a better cricket team. It would be nice if that was our focus, rather than some of the other stuff we have had to deal with."

Click here to read article