Ben Stokes a late addition to England’s Test squad for the upcoming Ashes tour

England star Ben Stokes has declared himself fit and ready for action this winter, having been a late addition to England’s touring squad for the 2021-22 Ashes in Australia. Initially, it seemed likely that England would have to travel Down Under without him, as he had spent three months on indefinite leave due to mental health issues. Stokes’ hiatus enabled him to recovery from finger surgery, after requiring a second operation on his left index finger.

England fans were triumphant when Stokes took to social media to showcase himself back tentatively bowling and batting in the nets. The videos sparked rumours that Stokes could be putting his hand up for Ashes contention. Sure enough, within a matter of hours, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed his inclusion. He declared in a regular column for The Mirror that he is “buzzing for the Ashes” and “ready for Australia”, as he attempts to throw the gauntlet down to England’s arch-rivals.

The 30-year-old is deemed one of the finest all-rounders in world cricket today. He has been a talismanic figure for both the Test and One Day International (ODI) teams, with his explosive striking with the bat and his aggressive fast-medium swing bowling. He may not go down as one of the most eccentric sports personalities of all time – and nor would he want to given his unassuming nature – but his will to win and leadership will only help skipper Joe Root.

Ben Stokes in a better place – mentally and physically

Stokes missed out on England’s summer Test series with India altogether and was also overlooked for England’s current T20 World Cup campaign. Stokes admitted he had been “struggling with bubble life” and was in “a real dark place” with personal issues off the cricket field. He admits he used to bottle his feelings up and “crack on” but has since acknowledged the “powerful” nature of talking about problems to friends and loved ones.

The issues with his left index finger first reared their head in April during Indian Premier League (IPL) duty. After initial surgery, Stokes was still experiencing discomfort and opted not to return to action in July. At the same time, he decided to take some time out to focus on his mental wellbeing, before undergoing a second operation in early October. Stokes and the rest of the England Test team’s trip to Australia has been preceded by more than a month of preparations in place ahead of the first Test in Brisbane.

Former England Test captain and current Sky Sports analyst Nasser Hussain described Stokes as “virtually irreplaceable” in “any format” of the sport. He likened it to having to “leave Ian Botham out” of the England squad in decades gone by. Hussain is delighted to see that Stokes is “in a better place mentally”, which is essential in order to thrive in the white-hot atmosphere that is always generated by the Australian fans in an Ashes series Down Under.

A huge challenge awaits Chris Silverwood’s England this winter

The addition of Ben Stokes to the England bowling attack will be an immense relief to Joe Root and head coach, Chris Silverwood. The attack was looking somewhat pedestrian on paper, with both Jofra Archer and Olly Stone unavailable for selection due to injury. Australian pitches tend to rely heavily on aggressive fast bowling, with very little swing movement on offer for veterans James Anderson and Stuart Broad to work with. Stokes is one bowler capable of posing questions and taking advantage of cracks in wickets.

Australia’s bowling attack includes Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins who know how best to work with the Kookaburra ball. England are still uncertain what their best opening partnership is in the batting line-up, which could give the likes of Cummins and Hazlewood the upper hand and an opportunity to rip their way into the English middle order early in the innings.

England will certainly arrive Down Under with their backs firmly to the wall, looking to upset the odds and reclaim the Ashes. Chris Silverwood describes his troops as “battle-hardened” and the addition of Stokes into the England dressing room will certainly provide belief that they can silence their critics.