Steve Smith applauds Stokes return from injury and mental health woes

Ben Stokes inclusion in England’s Ashes squad has been universally hailed and radically changes England’s chances for the Ashes.

Any all-rounder adds an extra dimension to a cricket team but Steve Smith says Ben Stokes late decision to make himself available for the Ashes squad adds depth to England and makes the side a more dangerous prospect.

Stokes withdrew from cricket citing mental health and an injured finger in the middle of the northern summer. He was not available the Test series against India and when the squad was named recently for the Ashes he was still not available, but England kept the door open for him.

The all-rounder, who former captain Nasser Hussein described as the side’s “heartbeat”, single handedly won the Headingley Test in 2019 and he brings an X-factor England was sorely lacking in its original squad.

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“I think it is great that he is now available,” Smith said. “Obviously he missed their summer with mental health stuff going on so when anyone comes back from that it is a great thing and we love coming up against the best players and its great to hear he is going to be getting on the plane.

“I think any team is more dangerous when you have got someone like Ben Stokes playing, it adds a lot to their depth but like I said we are excited and I am glad personally he is back playing some cricket. It should make for a really good series.”

Stokes, 30, has played in 14 Ashes Tests but missed the last series in Australia because of disciplinary action over an ugly brawl outside a nightclub. He has three centuries and averages 38 with the bat against Australia. His 34 wickets came at an average of 36.

The cricketer acknowledged in a newspaper column that his battle had been both mental and physical, saying he had been in a “dark place”.

“I probably didn’t realise just how much of an issue the finger was causing me until I got it sorted the second time around,” he said in the Mirror. “But I had also been struggling with bubble life and events off the field. I don’t want anyone to feel the way I did, because I wasn’t in a good place and I’m not afraid to admit it.”

Smith, who works as a mental health ambassador, acknowledged the place the game has got to in dealing with issues.

“I think we are seeing it a lot more now the acceptance of people when they are not doing well mentally,” he said. “Look credit to Ben for being able to make that decision and to step away and make sure he is right to be able to go out and play and live his life.

“There’s more out there sometimes than just the game of cricket, for him to be able to make that decision to step away and the acceptance from the ECB and everyone involved I think is really important.”

Stokes was due to have a break before the India series, but was called back to captain England in Joe Root’s absence from the one day series against Pakistan. He had already played 14 Tests since the 2019 Ashes where Australia has only managed four in that period.

The threat by England’s cricketers not to tour this summer if the quarantine conditions were too strict were met with some cynicism in Australia but Stokes’ situation was more complicated.

When he posted on social media recently that a second operation had been successful and he could now hold a bat without pain hopes rose that he would join the party.

Nathan Lyon indicated earlier this week that he expected to see the all-rounder at the first Test.

Former England captain Mike Atherton believes England’s chances have improved “immeasurably” with the news and that Stokes will be better for the break.

“Elite professional cricket demands that a player be at his peak both physically and mentally, and the extended break and successful operation should allow Stokes to return at full capacity for a series and a destination that finds you out if you are not,” he wrote in The Times.

“There is no doubt that his presence will be a huge boost to the team. Root will feel emboldened now that the Ashes touring party is almost at full-strength. Jofra Archer, a certain first-choice pick, is injured and unavailable and Olly Stone, the quick bowler from Warwickshire, is also injured but other than that Root will have a full squad to pick from, after weeks of uncertainty and a long period when he has not had the best team at his command.”

Former captain Hussain was another hailing England’s change of fortune.

“This is the hardest tour of them all and Root will be so much stronger for having his vice-captain alongside him,” he wrote in the Daily Mail. “It is Stokes and Jos Buttler who Root leans on most in his decision-making and those three set the tone for the team in all they do.

“Big characters are needed in Australia more than anywhere. You need players who stand up to the Aussies, who can look them in the eye and not take a backward step in a hostile environment.

“When you have lost nine out of your last 10 Tests in Australia, as England have, they need their biggest character on this tour more than ever.”