Perth [Australia], November 19 : England skipper Ben Stokes expressed his "desperation" to be amongst the "lucky few captains" from his country to have a successful tour of Australia and take the flight back home after winning his side's first Ashes series in Aussie land since the 2010/11 edition.
The series opener of the Ashes from Perth will kickstart a very special mission for Stokes. With England yet to win a Test in Australia since their 3-1 series there back in 2010/11, a series win will prove to the world the true potential and power of his 'Bazball' brand of cricket which his side champions with him and head coach Brendon McCullum at helm, with fearlessness, freedom, positivity, playing for the badge being some key traits of this style.
England will be aiming to regain the urn for the first time since 2015. There is no better chance for England to finally win a Test in Australia, as Aussie skipper Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, two of Australia's frontline quicks, are not featuring in the match. Opener Jake Weatherland and pacer Brendan Doggett could also get their first Baggy Green caps as well.
Former England opener is one of the five captains to have won a series in Australia since the Second World War, and 15 years later, Stokes aims to become a part of that elite club and only the second since Ray Illingworth to reclaim the Ashes series from Australia, having pulled off this feat way back in 1970/71 in a seven-match series which England won 2-0.
The last Ashes series back in 2023 in the UK was a 2-2 draw, with Australia retaining the urn despite a brilliant comeback from 0-2 by England.
"I have come here absolutely desperate to get home on that plane in January as one of the lucky few captains from England who have come here and been successful," said Stokes as quoted by ESPNCricinfo. "Personally, I do understand how big a series this is, but it is not putting any more effort into this one than I have done any other series I have been captain," he added.
Stokes along with coach McCullum, announced a 12-man squad for the Perth Tes,t including Shoaib Bashir, a spinner, potentially ruling out the possibility of an all-out pace attack.
Stokes said that everyone in the world, England and Australia, know how big of a series this is and the Three Lions would be lying to themselves if they go on taking it as a "just another series".
"In particular, this team, for myself, Brendan and for Rob (Key)(the managing director of the team) and facing what that feels like, looking it in the eyes, taking it on, not being afraid of the challenge that we have ahead of us."
"We know it is a huge task coming to Australia and everything that comes with that away from the field, on the field. It is a huge two-and-a-half months for us. Rather than playing it down and not really accepting this moment for what it is, I think maybe we would not really understand what the moment is. So yeah - putting it all out there, letting everyone know the expectations of what it is going to be like in particular, because we have got a squad here who have come in and are experiencing Australia for the first time," he added.
Stokes himself will be making a return to competitive cricket, having not featured in any game since the fourth Test against India at Old Trafford way back in July. After a five-wicket haul and a century in that match, he suffered a grade three muscle tear on his right shoulder during the final innings, keeping him out of the fifth and final Test at The Oval, which India won to secure a memorable 2-2 draw under the captaincy of a young Shubman Gill.
The last four months have been not only used for recovery, but to reinforce his body and hone his craft further. He dedicated himself completely to the rehabilitation and ruling himself out of The Hundred competition, which came after the home series against India.
Rebuilding himself away from the public eye, no social media posts, no stories, no status updates emerged from England captain's social handles. He also signed a two-year extension to his central contract, keeping him in the team through to the 2027 home Ashes series.
"It was very easy," said Stokes of extending his central contract with the Three Lions. "I want to eke everything out of this body I can, and I will do that in an England shirt," he concluded.
England squad for First Test: Ben Stokes (captain), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wicketkeeper), Mark Wood.
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