‘We’ve developed over the last couple of years’ – Brendon McCullum on his close friendship with Ben Stokes

Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

The relationship between England head coach Brendon McCullum and Test skipper Ben Stokes has blossomed into a close friendship since they took charge of the national Test team in 2022. McCullum recently was given added responsibility after being given the responsibility to coach the white-ball team, he reflected on the bond that has become the pillar of England’s cricket revival.

After the appointment of McCullum as head coach two years ago, alongside Stokes as Captain, marked the beginning of a new era. Their aggressive approach, dubbed “Bazball,” has transformed England’s fortunes in the game’s longest format. However, it’s not just their on-field success that McCullum values most. He mentioned that more than just keeping relations only professionally both the athletes have become close mates which has helped them to get favourable results on the field.

“When I started the gig with the Test side, Stokesy and I knew each other – we had a natural respect for each other – but I wouldn’t say we were mates,” McCullum said in a press conference.

“What we’ve developed over the last couple of years is a very close friendship, to the point where I call him a very close mate. As much as you do this for cricketing reasons, ultimately you want good friendships and relationships to develop that last far longer than the time you’ve got in the job,” he added.

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Brendon McCullum recently got appointed as white-ball coach of England

The McCullum-Stokes partnership has been instrumental in England’s dominance in Test cricket. Their shared vision and trust have allowed them to implement bold strategies and inject a fearless mindset within the team.

The former New Zealand opener and skipper Brendon McCullum is preparing to take on the additional responsibility of leading England’s white-ball teams, the lessons learned from his partnership with Stokes will undoubtedly influence his approach. Meanwhile England are currently leading 2-0 in their Test series against Sri Lanka.