England head coach Brendon McCullum has admitted he is worried about Ben Stokes’ well-being after the England captain was dropped from the squad for the second Test against New Zealand, stressing that supporting the star all-rounder remains the team’s priority.
Stokes and fast bowler Gus Atkinson were ruled out of the second Test at The Oval pending an investigation into a nightclub incident in London following England’s victory over New Zealand in the series opener at Lord’s. The pair breached the team’s midnight curfew while celebrating the win, with reports stating they were present when a member of England’s security staff was struck by a Saracens rugby player.
Speaking on the eve of the second Test, McCullum revealed his reaction when he first learnt of the incident, describing a mix of disappointment and concern.
“When I first found out about it I was slightly bewildered, if I’m being honest,” McCullum said.
“Then you go through a range of emotions. You go from being bewildered, on to angry, on to kind of gutted – from the progress which we talked about over the last six months and what we’re trying to do with the side, and some of the improvements we’ve tried to make, which includes the standards we want to set for ourselves, to hear about this was incredibly gutting.”
But the England coach said those emotions quickly gave way to concern, particularly for Stokes, with whom he has remained in regular contact since the incident came to light.
“Very quickly, through talking to Ben and also Gus, my overall emotion turned to worry and concern, for Ben in particular,” McCullum said.
The latest episode adds another chapter to Stokes’ eventful career. Widely regarded as one of England’s finest cricketers, the 35-year-old has previously faced intense public scrutiny, notably after the Bristol nightclub incident in 2017, from which he was later cleared of affray charges. In 2021, he stepped away from cricket to focus on his mental wellbeing.
Against that backdrop, McCullum repeatedly stressed that supporting Stokes is more important than discussing his future as England captain.
“Our concern is with Ben, our concern is handling that situation, making sure we look after him, that he feels supported by us and in communication with us,” he said.
“Those other things will work out down the line.”
