‘I’m ready’: Superstar all-rounder Ben Stokes added to England’s Ashes squad

After weeks of speculation, England has confirmed that superstar all-rounder Ben Stokes will travel Down Under for the Ashes.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – JULY 20: Ben Stokes of England is interviewed after victory on Day Five of the 2nd Test Match in the #RaiseTheBat Series between England and The West Indies at Emirates Old Trafford on July 20, 2020 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images for ECB)

In a major boost for the Ashes, the England & Wales Cricket Board has confirmed that superstar all-rounder Ben Stokes will travel Down Under this summer.

Stokes did not feature in the 17-player touring party that was unveiled earlier this month because the 30-year-old was recovering from a finger injury he sustained during the first leg of the Indian Premier League.

He had also took an indefinite break from the game to focus on his mental health, missing England’s Test series against India and the T20 World Cup.

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But on Monday, the ECB confirmed Stokes had recovered from his second finger operation and would feature in the upcoming Ashes tour of Australia.

He will depart for Australia on Thursday, November 4.

“I had a break to prioritise my mental wellbeing and I got my finger sorted,” Stokes said in a statement.

“I am looking forward to seeing my mates and being on the field with them. I’m ready for Australia.”

Stokes has not played any competitive cricket since July 26, when he represented the Northern Superchargers in The Hundred.

Ben Stokes has been added to the England squad for the Ashes. Photo by Jon Super / POOL / AFP

Managing Director of England Men’s Cricket, Ashley Giles said in a statement: “Following a very successful operation on his finger and several conversations over the last few weeks between Ben and I, our medical staff and his management team, Ben called me to say he was ready to return to cricket and was excited about the prospect of playing a significant role in the Ashes series.

“Time and time again, Ben has demonstrated how important he is to the England team and having him available for the Ashes series is excellent news for all of us and, in particular, Chris (Silverwood), Joe (Root) and the rest of the players.

“Having not played for some time, we will move forward cautiously over the next few weeks to ensure he is fully prepared across all facets of his game.

“Ahead of a very busy period of cricket, we continue to remain mindful of the stresses on all our personnel, and our primary focus continues to be the wellbeing of all of our players and support staff.”

Adding Stokes to that Ashes team makes such a difference it's actually a bit silly, isn't it

— Ben Jones (@benjonescricket) October 25, 2021

Ben Stokes' addition changes the complexion of England's Ashes side, which looked a bit plain initially.

Improves the batting and fielding, gives them an extra pace bowler, allows them to balance the side and play a specialist spinner. And adds plenty of experience and mongrel.

— Will Macpherson (@willis_macp) October 25, 2021

Oh boy! Ben Stokes is back in for The Ashes. Great for the series & the summer in general. @FoxCricket

— Tom Morris (@tommorris32) October 25, 2021

Stokes was England’s highest run-scorer during the 2019 Ashes, finishing the five-match series with 441 runs at an average of 55.12.

He terrorised Australia’s bowlers during the unforgettable Headingley triumph, where the left-hander combined with England No. 11 Jack Leach for an unbeaten 76-run partnership to steal victory from the jaws of defeat.

Speaking to reporters at Sydney’s Hurstville Oval on Thursday, Australian spin bowler Nathan Lyon said he expected Stokes would be parachuted into England’s squad.

“I‘m expecting him to come. I hope he is. You want to play against the best players in the world,” he said.

“Stokesy is the best all-rounder in the world. He’s an X-factor, he’s a game-changer, and you want to play against these sort of players.”

Australian seamer Josh Hazlewood echoed Lyon’s remarks: “Absolutely, you want their best team here, so I’m happy if he comes out.

“He’s a class act, so if it strengthens their team it’s all the more competitive.”

England has not won a Test match on Australian soil in almost 11 years.

The 2021/22 Ashes series gets underway at the Gabba on Wednesday, December 8.

England squad for 2021/22 Ashes

Joe Root (c)

James Anderson

Jonathan Bairstow

Dom Bess

Stuart Broad

Rory Burns

Jos Buttler

Zak Crawley

Haseeb Hameed

Dan Lawrence

Jack Leach

Dawid Malan

Craig Overton

Ollie Pope

Ollie Robinson

Ben Stokes

Chris Woakes

Mark Wood