England captain Ben Stokes says his team is fully focused on winning the Ashes in Australia for the first time since 2010-11. As the series begins in Perth on November 21, Stokes believes England has a real chance to change a long history in Australia.
On the eve of the first Test, Stokes said, “Look, coming to Australia, playing against Australia, they’re a seriously good team and everyone, including myself, including the team, and all you guys know that the record of England over the history of Ashes series in Australia isn’t the best. But we’ve got an opportunity here over the next two and a half months to write our own history.”
Stokes added, “We’ve obviously come here with the goal and that goal is to get on that plane mid-January, returning to England, being Ashes winners. But we know it’s going to be very, very tough. It’s going to be hard because beating Australia in Australia is not an easy thing.”
This tour also feels different for England, especially with fans travelling again after Covid rules kept them away during the last Ashes in 2021-22. Stokes said, “It’s been a big build-up, as always, every Ashes series is, whether it’s in England or Australia. It’s great, something that, when you’re a kid, you look at and go, I’d love to be there one day.”
Stokes also praised Mark Wood and said, “Well, he’s [Mark Wood] flying… And he’s bowling rapid, which is good.” He also confirmed his own fitness and said, “I’ve come into the series fully taking on that all-rounder role with bat and ball,” adding, “I’ve worked very, very hard…I want to eke everything out of this body I can and I will do that in an England shirt.”
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