Brendon McCullum has emphasized that Ben Stokes' recent nightclub incident has not affected their working relationship as he prepares to welcome his captain back for the crucial third Test against New Zealand.

Stokes will return as captain for the series decider at Trent Bridge after a week-long absence due to a team curfew breach involving Gus Atkinson. McCullum stated, "We've worked together intimately for four years. We've achieved some cool things and we've let ourselves down on other things."

He reinforced the team's commitment to success, saying, "Our motivation, our belief and our vision for this side have not wavered. We still want to make the England cricket team the best possible and to have long-term, sustainable success."

The investigation into the nightclub incident remains ongoing, but both Stokes and Atkinson were withdrawn from their respective County Championship matches, indicating their return to the team. England faces pressure after suffering a 253-run defeat at The Oval, leveling the series.

Stokes made a strong impression with a 95 off 118 balls for Durham against Northamptonshire, prompting McCullum to express relief at his captain's return to form. He remarked, "It is great to see him back playing and I look forward to seeing him in a few days."

Stuart Broad noted that Stokes would likely apologize for the defeat, acknowledging the weight of the situation. He stated, "He'll be feeling a lot of pain from this result as he knows it stems from his actions."

Looking ahead, the England team is set to play the third Test from June 25-29 at Trent Bridge, with the series hanging in the balance.