Stokes Says He Must Work Differently With Mccullum

England skipper Ben Stokes said suggestions of a rift pinch Brendon McCullum person been overstated, but acknowledged he must activity pinch nan caput coach successful a "slightly different way".

The messages from Stokes and McCullum appeared to diverge during England's 4-1 Ashes conclusion successful Australia.

Stokes asked his players to excavation in, and did truthful himself pinch his ain batting tempo. In contrast, McCullum believed England moved distant from nan aggression that had antecedently brought them success.

At nan extremity of nan series, Stokes said opponents had worked retired really to play against England.

Last month, head of cricket Rob Key said location had been nary "bust-up" betwixt nan two. Stokes, McCullum and Key are each to stay successful their jobs pursuing a reappraisal of nan Ashes conducted by nan England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).

In his first question and reply since nan Ashes, Stokes told nan ECB: "I'm very assured successful excavation and Brendon's expertise to beryllium capable to activity together, because we've done it for specified a agelong play of clip now.

"But activity together successful a somewhat different way. The main constituent of maine and Brendon is our alignment towards winning things and making this squad arsenic bully arsenic they tin be."

Stokes and McCullum joined forces successful complaint of nan Test squad successful 2022 and had instant success, winning 10 of their first 11 Tests.

Since then, England person had much losses than wins – 17 to 16. The conclusion successful Australia followed a 2-2 location tie against India.

Stokes and McCullum publically backed each different astatine nan extremity of nan Ashes, but by that clip had fixed differing messages to nan media, fuelling suggestions of a rift. McCullum was besides noticeably effusive astir nan activity of white-ball skipper Harry Brook during nan T20 World Cup which followed nan Ashes.

But all-rounder Stokes said immoderate conception he is not "aligned" pinch nan New Zealander is simply a "massive overstatement".

"We work together 95% of nan clip connected things, but those 5% things that we mightiness person different views on, we talk astir it betwixt each different and past we extremity up getting to nan spot wherever we want to get to," said Stokes.

"Agreeing connected each azygous thing, that's conscionable impossible."