Stokes' Burning Ambition for Ashes Glory
England cricket captain Ben Stokes has delivered an impassioned rallying cry ahead of the Ashes series, declaring that the opportunity to join an exclusive group of successful England captains in Australia represents the biggest motivation of his entire career. Speaking before Friday's opening Test match in Perth, Stokes admitted he had never been more determined for a Test series.
The Elite Company Stokes Aims to Join
Stokes is attempting to emulate the achievements of Mike Gatting and Andrew Strauss, whose triumphant campaigns in 1986-87 and 2010-11 respectively make them the only English captains to return home with the coveted urn in the past 46 years. The last time England reclaimed the Ashes on Australian soil was under Ray Illingworth's leadership during the 1970-71 tour.
The England squad faces a demanding schedule of five Tests across seven weeks with minimal preparation, having completed just one internal three-day practice match. However, they approach this challenge with confidence from their impressive record under coach Brendon McCullum, having won 25 of their 41 matches since his appointment.
Building Team Unity for Success
Stokes emphasised the importance of team cohesion, stating: 'One big thing me and Baz firmly believe in is if you create a tight-knit group, not only on the field, but off the field, that's going to help team morale.' He explained that creating a closely bonded squad has been crucial to their recent success, particularly important during extended overseas tours like the two-and-a-half-month Ashes series in Australia.
England confirmed their 12-man squad on Wednesday, featuring fast bowler Mark Wood after positive scans on his left hamstring and including Shoaib Bashir as contingency should the Perth pitch conditions change significantly.
Meanwhile, Australia faces selection challenges with captain Pat Cummins and new-ball partner Josh Hazlewood both sidelined through injury. The hosts are likely to hand out at least one Test debut, possibly two, with Brendon Doggett expected to join the attack and Jake Weatherald positioned to become Usman Khawaja's seventh opening partner in Australia's last 16 Tests.
