England captain Ben Stokes has entered “beast mode” in his preparations for the highly anticipated Ashes series, astonishing teammates with his intensive training regimen and commitment despite a recent injury that curtailed his summer.
Sidelined since late July due to a shoulder injury, Stokes is now anticipated to be fully fit to lead England in the first Test against Australia, which is set to commence on 21 November in Perth.
Crucially, his return to his all-rounder duties is also expected, following a summer in which he impressively claimed 20 wickets in five Tests at an average of 24.05.
Opening batter Ben Duckett expressed his awe at Stokes’s dedication since arriving in Perth, highlighting his crucial role in England’s ambition to regain the urn for the first time since 2015.
“I can only say we’ve been out here for a few days and he’s been in beast mode,” Duckett told the Willow Talk podcast. “He’s been running, bowling two spells, batting for two hours. The way he trains these days is something I’ve never seen before. He’s an absolute beast.”
Duckett underscored Stokes’s importance, adding: “He’s probably the most important man in this side when he’s bowling, so hopefully he stays fit for all five Tests and he’s bowling in all of them, because he’s crucial for us.”
The buildup to this much-hyped series has largely focused on how England’s aggressive “Bazball” approach, led by Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum, will fare in Australia, a country where the tourists have not secured a series victory since 2010-11.
While the England team’s approach, often characterised by aggressive batting, has polarised opinion, Duckett said the team demonstrated over the summer that their methods are becoming more refined.
“Where we’re trying to go now is not just being this entertaining, reckless at times, side,” he explained.
“I’ve been frustrated with myself in the past where I might have got 80 off 60, and it looks great, and it’s going to put us in a good position, but it’s not going to win us a Test match. It’s realising moments, then kicking on and getting a big score.”
Duckett is one of 11 players in England’s 16-strong squad who have not featured in a Test in Australia, and the left-hander believes this fresh perspective could be an advantage.
“We’ve got quite a fresh group where there’s not a lot of baggage, which I think will help us,” he stated.
England assistant coach Marcus Trescothick was similarly bullish about his side’s prospects, telling Sky Sports: “We are pretty confident in our own team and what we have to throw at Australia. We are coming here with a team that we’re very happy with, and the preparations, in terms of what we’ve got.”
