Returning England captain Stokes and McCullum clear the air after ‘slight blip’

England captain Ben Stokes returned to the squad on Tuesday after holding talks with head coach Brendon McCullum at Trent Bridge, with McCullum describing the recent tension as a 'slight blip' and insisting the pair remain 'very aligned.' The rift followed a late night incident after Lord's that led to Stokes and Gus Atkinson being stood down before England's 253-run defeat at The Oval. Stokes, along with Atkinson, Smith, and Bashir, returns to the starting XI for the third Test against New Zealand.