Ben Stokes’ Potential Ashes Triumph in Australia Would be His Greatest Miracle
England’s success in Australia this winter hinges on Ben Stokes’ form and fitness as he aims to end a 14-year drought and lead his side to a historic Ashes victory.
England came within seven runs of clinching a series win over India in the final Test at The Oval. It was a stark reminder of how small margins and individual moments can decide the outcome of Test cricket.
With Ben Stokes in the side, England display resilience and balance. Without him, their performance dips. Stokes’ all-round skills and leadership are central to England’s strategy: his runs, his wickets and tactical nous define the team’s character.
Stokes: England’s Beating Heart
England have not won an Ashes series in Australia since 2010–11. Of the touring squad, Stokes is the only player with a Test century on Australian soil and one of two with a five-wicket haul there.
Stokes must recover from a shoulder injury, sustain his form and captain with the focus that has driven his past triumphs—the 2019 World Cup final, Headingley Test or his match-winning knocks in South Africa and T20 finals.
Squad Outlook and Key Battles
- Batting: Joe Root, Harry Brook and Ben Duckett offer experience. Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope must seize their opportunities. Promise lies in Jacob Bethell, while Jamie Smith needs to build on his first five-Test series.
- Bowling: A seam attack featuring Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse and Josh Tongue could exploit Australian pitches. Selection and workload management will be critical.
- Spin: Shoaib Bashir appears poised to lead spinning options, with Ricky Ponting billing him as England’s answer to Nathan Lyon.
Australia’s Challenge
Australia retain formidable bowling under Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon. Their batting top order faces questions over consistency, but Steve Smith, Travis Head and Alex Carey remain potent threats.
England’s superior batting depth contrasts with Australia’s home-grown bowling strength. While home advantage makes Australia favourites, the presence of Stokes shifts the balance.
Ben Stokes’ fitness and leadership will be the decisive factors in whether England can achieve their first Ashes series win in Australia in over a decade.
This topic was reported by BBC Sport.
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