England head coach Brendon McCullum said he was concerned about Ben Stokes’ wellbeing after the captain was dropped for the second Test against New Zealand following a late-night nightclub incident that is under investigation by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).
Stokes and fast bowler Gus Atkinson were left out of the second Test after breaching a team curfew following England’s victory at Lord’s. The incident, which reportedly involved a Saracens rugby player, is being examined internally by the ECB.
McCullum said his initial reaction was one of shock and disappointment, given the standards England had sought to establish over the past six months.
“When I first found out, I was slightly bewildered. You go through a range of emotions. You go from being bewildered, to angry, to gutted,” McCullum told reporters.
However, the coach said his focus quickly shifted to supporting the players, particularly Stokes.
“Quickly, through talking to Ben and Gus, my emotion turned to worry and concern — for Ben in particular — and how we support these guys. That’s not overlooking the fact they haven’t lived up to the standards we set for ourselves,” he said.
Asked whether the incident could jeopardise Stokes’ future as captain, McCullum declined to speculate, saying the priority was ensuring the all-rounder received the necessary support.
“I’m worried about Ben. That’s it. I’ll leave it at that,” McCullum said. “The concern is making sure Ben is fine. We need to make sure we look after him, rally around him, and in time we’ll get on to those sorts of decisions.”
McCullum added that he had remained in regular contact with Stokes since the incident came to light.
“We have spoken every day since this incident unfolded. There’s been a range of emotions Ben has gone through. I am not going to share those with you. That’s out of respect for our relationship and the confidentiality of it as well,” he said.
England have yet to announce when the ECB’s investigation will be concluded.
-IANS
