When Brendon McCullum spotted Ben Stokes at England training in Nottingham on Tuesday, the head coach did not hesitate. The two men embraced, the same way they have embraced each other through defeats in Australia, through a scandal at The Oval, and through weeks of whispered rumors that their partnership had fractured.
"He looks fantastic," McCullum said two days before the decisive third Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge. "He looks ready to go, he's enthusiastic about the week and obviously from our point of view it's nice to have the band back together."
The reunion ended weeks of speculation that had followed Stokes since he missed the second Test — a match England lost heavily after an incident at a London nightclub resulted in both the captain and pace bowler Gus Atkinson being unavailable. McCullum had spoken publicly of his "worry" and "concern" for Stokes, comments that puzzled observers at Durham, where the captain spent the week playing county cricket. But on Tuesday, the New Zealander set the record straight in terms that left little room for doubt.
"I said: 'Do you know where this has come from, the conversations around our relationship over the last six months?'" McCullum recalled. "He said: 'No, I have no idea.' I said to him: 'As far as I'm concerned, I consider you a good friend.'"
Stokes, 33, arrived at training in sharp form. During his two-day stint with Durham against Northamptonshire, he scored 95 at Chester-le-Street — his highest individual score in any format of cricket since last July. McCullum admitted he had watched the highlights. "He actually texted me saying 'have you seen the highlights?' I said I had, and he said: 'I'm back.'"
The pair now face a match that carries real weight. England enter the final Test level at 1-1 with New Zealand, and a series defeat would mark only their second home loss since 2014. The team has won just two of its last nine Tests. Yet McCullum, who has guided England to remarkable highs since taking over in 2022, urged calm.
"Anyone can lead when it's easy," he said. "The true account of a leader or leadership group is to be able to lead when times are difficult." He recalled advising former Ireland captain Eoin Morgan after the 2015 World Cup, when Morgan asked what he should do. "I said: 'Tough times don't last, but tough blokes do.' And I think it's no different — you've got to be prepared to go through some tough times knowing that if you're able to navigate through that, and hold the fort and hold your nerve, then there's some good stuff to come."
England will name their side later Tuesday. Whatever lineup they choose, the captain is back, the coach is smiling, and one of cricket's most formidable partnerships appears as solid as ever.