England's Ben Stokes knows starting XI and demands fast, flat pitches for Ashes

 Stokes, who is currently recovering from a foot problem, expressed his desire for flat, fast pitches during the Ashes series, and outlined his hope of having a pace attack that can bowl above 90mph. Along with Mark Wood and Olly Stone, Jofra Archer will be a key member of England's pace attack. However, concerns have grown about Archer's fitness after he sat out two IPL matches in a row for the Mumbai Indians due to discomfort in his right elbow.

Despite the concerns surrounding Archer's fitness, Stokes claimed to already have a starting XI in mind for the first Test, which will take place at Edgbaston on June 16. He emphasized the importance of picking the best team for the first game and said that he has been in communication with the ground staff to ensure that the team gets the type of wickets they want.

Stokes also hinted at the possibility of Jonny Bairstow returning to the team, but stressed the importance of getting fit after his leg injury. On his own fitness, Stokes claimed to be bowling pain-free after five weeks of work behind the scenes, and said that the longstanding left knee injury that hampered his role with the ball during the 1-1 draw in New Zealand appears to be easing.

The Ashes series has already seen the first shots fired publicly, with Ollie Robinson predicting a comfortable win for England and wanting to give Australia a good hiding. Stokes praised his opponents, but welcomed Robinson's confidence and said that it's important for players to be free to operate as their character.

Stokes also identified Travis Head as a threat for Australia, and said that England is prepared to go for runs, something that's been easier as they've played more. He also noted that Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad have seen a different side to it and now have a fine to go for runs mentality, which will do England fine if Australia comes back at them.

When asked if England's recent desire to always seek a positive result would apply were they to find themselves 2-1 up on the final day and mulling a declaration, Stokes said that he would declare, as he's not going to change anything just because they're in the Ashes. Every game will be to produce a result, and if not, then he's not being true to himself and everything he's done this past year.

Overall, Stokes' comments indicate that England is gearing up for an aggressive and results-driven approach during the Ashes series, and they are confident in their ability to take on Australia. The fitness of Jofra Archer remains a concern, but England has a talented pace attack that can bowl at high speeds and take on Australia's batsmen. With nine weeks and a four-day Test against Ireland to go before the Ashes starts, England will be hoping to get their team in the best possible shape for the series.

Share