Stokes Wants To Be One Of ‘lucky Few’ England Captains To Claim Ashes Victory In Australia

Ben Stokes is aiming to go 1 of nan “lucky few” England captains to declare an distant Ashes triumph arsenic he called connected his players to hide a 15-year barren spell successful Australia and “create our ain history”.

After being unopen retired by nan pandemic 4 years ago, up to 40,000 England supporters are estimated to beryllium descending connected Australia complete nan people of this winter. All are hopeful of witnessing an all-time classical and a alteration to nan communicative aft 3 winless Ashes tours.

Stokes, fresh to unleash Mark Wood and Jofra Archer erstwhile nan bid originates successful Perth Stadium connected Friday, is afloat alert of nan challenge: win and he will go conscionable nan sixth postwar England skipper to do truthful aft Andrew Strauss (2010-11), Mike Gatting (1986-87), Mike Brearley (1978-79), Ray Illingworth (1970-71) and Len Hutton (1954-55).

“I person travel present perfectly hopeless to get location connected that level successful January arsenic 1 of nan fortunate fewer captains from England to person travel present and been successful,” said Stokes, having named a 12-strong lucifer time squad that includes Shoaib Bashir arsenic nan spin-bowling option.

“A batch has been spoken astir nan history and really it has gone for England [in caller years]. This is our chance to create our ain history and it is up to america really that looks.

“Everyone successful nan world, everyone successful Australia, everyone successful England, knows really large this bid is and I deliberation if we were to travel retired and not judge that – dainty it arsenic conscionable different bid – we’d only beryllium lying to ourselves.”

While Stokes precocious signed a caller two-year statement pinch England that takes him done to nan 2027 Ashes astatine home, this impending bid marks nan defining infinitesimal successful a four-year task led by his fierce captaincy and an ultra-positive caput coach successful Brendon McCullum.

Stokes continued: “[It is simply a lawsuit of] looking it successful nan eyes, taking it on, not being acrophobic of nan situation that we person up of us. We cognize it’s a immense task coming to Australia and everything that comes pinch that distant from nan field, connected nan field.”

Archer and Wood person not featured successful nan aforesaid England Test onslaught since a one-off outing against West Indies successful 2020. Both person been done wounded ordeals and aft meticulous rehabilitation programmes designed pinch this bid successful mind they are primed to deed Australia pinch pace.

“Two years agone we would person bitten your manus disconnected to beryllium capable to return this group of bowlers pinch us,” added Stokes, who on pinch his ain marque of muscular fast-medium has Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse successful nan squad for nan bid opener and Josh Tongue waiting successful nan wings.

“The bowlers we person sewage tin each vessel complete 85mph. Some tin deed nan early 90s to mid-90s. But you’ve besides sewage to adhd accomplishment to that arsenic well. And that’s what we’ve been fortunate capable to pick: bowlers who tin each do that.

“I’m excited to beryllium capable to person [Archer] arsenic portion of this group. When he gets fixed an opportunity to power nan game, I cognize that he’ll beryllium flying successful and giving perfectly 100% towards that. There’s nary uncertainty astatine immoderate constituent he’s going to make a immense effect connected nan series.”

England squad for nan first Test: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Mark Wood, Gus Atkinson, Jofra Archer, Brydon Carse, Shoaib Bashir