McCullum backs captain Stokes to find batting form

McCullum backs captain Stokes to find batting formTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.This video can not be playedFigure caption, Williamson takes 'outstanding' catch as Stokes goes for 12ByStephan ShemiltCricket CorrespondentPublished4 minutes agoEngland captain Ben Stokes' batting is "not too far away" from a return to form, says head coach Brendon McCullum.Stokes returned scores of 12 and nought in England's first-Test win over New Zealand, but was not alone in struggling for runs on a Lord's surface that made batting a challenge.The all-rounder averaged 18 during England's Ashes series defeat and dropped down the order one place to number seven for the first Test against the Black Caps, swapping positions with wicketkeeper Jamie Smith."I feel like his fluency is starting to come back," said McCullum. "It would have been great if he had been able to get instant gratification with runs in this match."It didn't happen, but I'm pretty confident we'll see some runs and output in the Tests to come."Remarkable Tongue is England's premier bowler - AgnewPublished19 hours agoLord's pitch does not benefit Test format - StokesPublished20 hours agoStokes made his first Test century in two years against India at Old Trafford last summer, only to then miss the final Test because of a shoulder injury.As England struggled during the Ashes, Stokes' batting became increasingly attritional, as if the captain was demonstrating the fight he wanted from his team-mates. An Ashes strike-rate of 36.58 was Stokes' slowest rate of run-scoring in any series when he has played more than two Tests.One issue Stokes has when it comes to finding a rhythm to his batting is a lack of cricket outside playing for England.He has not played any sort of white-ball cricket since the 2024 season of The Hundred. The two County Championship matches he played for Durham in May wer...