McCullum Dismisses Rift Rumors as Stokes Returns for Decider

England head coach Brendon McCullum said on Tuesday that he remains "good friends" with captain Ben Stokes and they have "no idea" why rumors of a rift have emerged. The pair reunited ahead of the crucial deciding Test against New Zealand, starting Wednesday at Trent Bridge.

Stokes missed the second Test after an incident at a London nightclub involving a breach of the team's midnight curfew. Stokes and fast bowler Gus Atkinson were made unavailable during an investigation into the incident, which occurred after England's first Test victory at Lord's. Both have been cleared to rejoin the squad for the third Test, with Stokes returning as captain.

McCullum had previously expressed "worry" and "concern" for Stokes in a somber media conference before the second Test, which England lost heavily. However, Durham's county head coach Ryan Campbell later said Stokes was in "good spirits," and chief executive Tim Bostock said he was "bemused" by McCullum's comments. On Tuesday, McCullum clarified that his initial assessment was one of concern, but now he sees Stokes looking "fantastic" and "ready to go."

England trained in Nottingham on Tuesday, beginning with McCullum and Stokes embracing. They were joined by selector Marcus North. In Stokes's absence from the England team, he played two days of Durham's County Championship match against Northamptonshire, scoring 95 runs—his highest score since July last year. McCullum praised his batting, saying Stokes texted him to ask if he had seen the highlights, adding "I'm back."

England is under pressure both on and off the pitch. After a 4-1 Ashes defeat in Australia, the team leadership was backed, but now they face a deciding Test against New Zealand with the series level at 1-1. A series loss would be England's second home series defeat since 2014, and only their second home loss to New Zealand. McCullum emphasized the importance of leadership in tough times, recalling a conversation with Eoin Morgan after the 2015 World Cup, and said "tough times don't last, but tough blokes do."

McCullum also addressed the curfew issue, admitting there was some "ambiguity" after the second Test. He noted that while enjoying oneself is important, excess is not what the team is after, and mistakes must be corrected to move forward.