Under Ben Stokes’ leadership, England have played a fearless brand of cricket in the longest format of the game. The Three Lions defeated New Zealand and South Africa at home and also won the one-off Test against India at Edgbaston last year.
With the same approach, the Stokes-led side whitewashed Pakistan 3-0 in an away Test series and followed it with a 1-1 drawn series on the tour of New Zealand.
England’s next biggest Test assignment is the Ashes series against Australia at home, starting June 16 at Edgbaston.
On the eve of the Ashes 2023 opener, Stokes insisted that there will be no let-up in his side’s dynamic approach.
“Every day we edge closer to the start of the series it has been like ‘Oh I wish I started tomorrow’ and now that day is finally here,” said Stokes in a pre-match press conference.
“We are really excited to get going. It has been a long time coming.”
England have won 11 out of their 13 Tests after adopting an ultra-aggressive approach to red-ball cricket.
Stokes made it clear that England will stick to their all-action brand of cricket despite facing Pat Cummins’ men, who defeated India to clinch the WTC title last week.
“You get asked a lot if we are going to continue to play this way against this opposition, against that opposition, but I think we have just made it clear that this is how England play their cricket against any opposition.
“It has worked more than it has not so I don’t think there is any question around how we are going to try and play our cricket even though it is against Australia.”
Moeen Ali has come out of Test retirement after first-choice spinner Jack Leach got ruled out of all five Ashes Tests due to a back injury.
“A player like Mo, who I have seen put in some unbelievable match-winning performances, albeit a long time ago, was something that I couldn’t look past,” stated Stokes.
“That was a stomach and a heart feeling rather than my brain and I have generally stuck with my gut throughout my whole captaincy so far.
“Moeen Ali is going to come in here and I am looking at what he can offer to this team on his best days and nothing else.”
(With AFP Inputs)
