England all-rounder Ben Stokes has declared himself “fit and hungry" to start the Ashes series against Australia. Stokes was a late addition to the squad, having taken a break from cricket to mentally refresh and undergo a second operation on his fractured left index finger.
England captain Joe Root has been intent on not rushing Stokes back into the team but the all-rounder looks to be ready to play in the first test, which starts in Brisbane on Dec. 8. “2 months ago, I couldn’t hold a bat," Stokes wrote in an Instagram post on Wednesday.
“With 1 week to go till the first test, I’m fit and hungry for the big series down under." Stokes was in the first group of England cricketers who arrived in Brisbane on Nov. 6 ahead of the Ashes.
“This gone Sunday, the 30-year-old all-rounder suffered a nasty blow on his left forearm during one of England’s training session in Brisbane. To his and the England camp’s relief, he reported a clean bill of health. “I was happy to get a bit of training in, but then came a scary moment as I got hit on the forearm by a ball from our batting coach Jonathan Trott," Stokes said.
“I was in agony, and I couldn’t lift it. I thought it was broken. Thankfully the pain and reaction settled down once I was back in the dressing room and the physios could be sure it wasn’t a break," he added.
Stokes’s return is also good news for Jack Leach , who lost his place in the eleven as selectors preferred a seam-heavy attacks for “team balance" against New Zealand and for most of the truncated India series.
“From the summer, the feedback was that Stokesy not being in the side, not having that all-round option in the top order, kind of made things difficult for me to get in the side," Leach told reporters on Wednesday.
“So I think having him back is great. Also having (Chris) Woakes back … both of them back is hopefully positive for being able to fit a spinner in, for sure."
Left-armer Leach was England’s most successful bowler over the winter with 28 wickets against India and Sri Lanka, but the 30-year-old Somerset man has not played a test since Ahmedabad in March, which was also Stokes’s last appearance.
The pair shared in one of the highlights of the drawn 2019 Ashes series, when Stokes smashed an unbeaten 135 at Headingley and number 11 Leach survived 17 balls to finish one not out and help England snatch a thrilling one-wicket win.
(With Agency Inputs)
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