Ben Stokes has been added to the England men’s Test squad for the Ashes tour and says he is “ready for Australia” after taking a break from cricket. The Durham all-rounder has been given the all-clear to resume training following a second operation on a fractured left index finger and will join the squad on the 4 November. Stokes announced in July that he was taking an indefinite break from cricket to prioritise his mental wellbeing but has confirmed that he feels reenergised now that he is fit again. “I had a break to prioritise my mental wellbeing and I got my finger sorted,” Stokes said. “I am looking forward to seeing my mates and being on the field with them. I’m ready for Australia.”
The managing director of England men’s cricket, Ashley Giles, added: “Following a very successful operation on his finger and several conversations over the last few weeks between Ben and I, our medical staff and his management team, Ben called me to say he was ready to return to cricket and was excited about the prospect of playing a significant role in the Ashes series."Time and time again, Ben has demonstrated how important he is to the England team and having him available for the Ashes series is excellent news for all of us and, in particular, Chris (Silverwood), Joe (Root) and the rest of the players."Having not played for some time, we will move forward cautiously over the next few weeks to ensure he is fully prepared across all facets of his game."Ahead of a very busy period of cricket, we continue to remain mindful of the stresses on all our personnel, and our primary focus continues to be the wellbeing of all of our players and support staff."The five-match Ashes kicks off with the first Test in Gabba, Brisbane, from December 8.
