Brendon McCullum expresses concern for Ben Stokes's mental well-being
What's the story
England cricket team's head coach Brendon McCullum has expressed concern about Test captain Ben Stokes's mental well-being. The statement comes after both Stokes and Gus Atkinson were dropped from England's squad for the 2nd Test against New Zealand for breaching the team's midnight curfew. The duo was also involved in an incident in which a Saracens rugby player hit the team's security liaison officer, who required medical attention.
Cultural impact
McCullum on learning about Stokes's incident
Stokes, who has been instrumental in shaping the team's culture and establishing the curfew, was left out of selection for the Oval Test as investigations by both the England and Wales Cricket Board and the Cricket Regulator are underway. Speaking ahead of the 2nd Test, McCullum admitted to feeling "bewildered, on to angry, on to kind of gutted" when he learned about the incident. He emphasized his concern for Stokes's well-being after their conversations.
Support focus
Overall emotion turned to worry and concern
McCullum said, "To hear about this was incredibly gutting." He added, "Very quickly, though, talking to Ben in particular, and also Gus, my overall emotion turned to worry and concern for Ben in particular." The coach stressed that their focus is on supporting the players while not ignoring the fact that they have not met their own standards. He said they will deal with this through a process over time.
Captaincy doubts
Need to go through a process: McCullum on captaincy
When asked about Stokes's potential return as captain, McCullum was noncommittal. He said, "We need to go through a process." The coach highlighted his close working relationship with Stokes over the past four years and acknowledged the England captain's success in shaping their environment. However, he stressed that right now, his main concern is making sure Stokes is okay and rallying around him.
Investigation update
ECB hopes to conclude investigation
As the fallout from this latest drinking incident continues, the ECB hopes to conclude its investigation in the coming days. The board was thrown into a tizzy last Tuesday when there were strong indications that Stokes might retire altogether. However, those fears have now subsided with Stokes's willingness to return to domestic play, indicating unfinished business.