2 hours ago Head manager Brendon McCullum refused to beryllium drawn connected Ben Stokes' aboriginal arsenic England skipper but repeatedly spoke of his "worry and concern" for the all-rounder.
Stokes and gait bowler Gus Atkinson person been made unavailable for the 2nd Test against New Zealand astatine The Oval pending an probe into an incidental successful a London nightclub past week.
Not lone is it the latest contention to deed this England team, it is different section successful the storied vocation of 35-year-old Stokes.
One of England's top cricketers of each time, Stokes was cleared of charges of affray pursuing an incidental extracurricular a Bristol nightclub successful 2017. In 2021, helium took a interruption from cricket to prioritise his intelligence well-being.
"Our interest is with Ben, our interest is handling that situation, making definite we look aft him, that helium feels supported by america and successful connection with us," said McCullum.
"Those different things volition enactment retired down the line."
In celebrating the opening Test triumph implicit New Zealand astatine Lord's, Stokes and Atkinson broke the England team's midnight curfew. They were contiguous erstwhile a subordinate of England information unit was struck by a Saracens rugby player.
Both volition miss the 2nd Test astatine The Oval, for which England person made 4 changes to their XI. Joe Root volition deputise for Stokes arsenic captain, with Jofra Archer, Matthew Fisher and uncapped brace Sonny Baker and Jordan Cox coming into the team.
Last week, manager of cricket Rob Key said helium could spot nary crushed wherefore Stokes would not play for England again, but stopped abbreviated of endorsing him arsenic captain.
And, successful a sombre media league astatine The Oval, McCullum passed up each opportunities to suggest Stokes volition erstwhile again beryllium England captain.
Instead, the New Zealander reiterated his tendency to enactment and attraction for Stokes.
Askes astir the captaincy, McCullum said: "What volition beryllium volition beryllium down the line. Those decisions are not for now.
"The interest is making definite Ben is fine. We request to marque definite we look aft him, rally astir him, and successful clip we'll get connected to those sorts of decisions. For me, I'm conscionable making definite I'm checking successful with him. That's wherever things beryllium astatine the moment."
Stokes has already returned to training, with the anticipation helium could play successful the County Championship for Durham against Northamptonshire connected Friday.
When it was enactment to McCullum it is simply a affirmative that Stokes is looking to play again, the manager gave a agelong intermission and said: "I'm disquieted astir Ben. That's it. I'll permission it astatine that.
"I'm successful changeless connection with him, which is great. I attraction for him immensely.
"Whatever helium is moving done astatine the moment, it volition beryllium due to the fact that Ben thinks that's close for dealing with what he's feeling astatine the moment. So my interest is Ben.
"He's precise entitled to marque his ain decisions astir that worldly and I promote him to support doing worldly similar that due to the fact that if it gives him immoderate joyousness and immoderate satisfaction, past that's good."
English (US)·