
Stokes, England and the Ashes: A Miracle in the Making?
Can Ben Stokes Lead England to Ashes Glory in Australia?
It was close. Agonisingly close.
Just seven runs stood between England and a famous series victory over India. Realistically, one crisp connection from Gus Atkinson might’ve done it. A tie would have been enough, and England could have walked away from The Oval with a sense of triumph, or at least satisfaction.
But it wasn’t to be. The margin was razor-thin, but perhaps the lessons aren’t. Field your catches. Don’t throw your wicket away after scoring a hundred. Try not to lose your strike bowler to a dislocated shoulder. You don’t need to rewrite the coaching manuals for those.
Above all, the one undeniable truth from that gripping finale was this: with Ben Stokes, England believe they can beat anyone. Without him, they’re exposed.
Stokes has become more than just a player. He’s the axis around which this team rotates — tactically, emotionally, even spiritually. Without him in the XI or on the field as captain, England are simply a different side. Less dangerous. Less certain. Less England.
So, when we talk about the Ashes in England’s future, there’s one big question looming over it all: can Ben Stokes get fit, stay fit, and drag this side to glory on Australian soil?
England in Australia: Haunted by History
Let’s not sugar-coat it. England’s record in Australia in recent years is woeful. Since their last triumph in 2010-11, they’ve played 15 Tests there. The results? Thirteen losses, two draws, zero wins.
And yet, hope springs eternal. Whisper it quietly, but this might just be their best shot since that victorious campaign 14 years ago.
But only if Ben Stokes is at the helm.
He’s the only member of the squad with a Test hundred in Australia. One of just two (the other being Mark Wood) with a five-wicket haul down under. And, let’s face it, Wood’s fitness is always a game of roulette. If he makes the first Test in Perth, he won’t have played a red-ball match in over 15 months.
Stokes is, in every sense, the spine of this team.
Stokes’ Shoulder – England’s Nervous Countdown
The clock is ticking. 108 days until the first ball of the Ashes in England’s long-awaited redemption tour. And every single one of them will be spent watching, waiting, and worrying about Ben Stokes’ shoulder.
His recent run of injuries means he hasn’t completed a full Test series since 2022. That’s not just a stat — it’s a red flag.
He needs to get fit, and stay fit. England can’t afford to lose him again. Because his role is gargantuan: bowl like Botham, bat like Pietersen, captain like Brearley.
He’s done miracles before — Headingley 2019, Cape Town, the World Cup final, that cold-blooded hundred at Lord’s last summer. But doing it in Australia? Winning there? That would top them all.
The Supporting Cast – Ready or Not?
There’s real talent in this England batting line-up. Joe Root is still Joe Root — a modern great. Harry Brook continues to shine, and Ben Duckett has shown grit. Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope? It’s now or never. They’ve had patience lavished on them by this management — time to repay that faith.
Behind them, the reserves look a little light. Jacob Bethell may have raw promise, but by November he might have played only two first-class matches in 11 months. Jamie Smith? He’ll need more staying power than he showed against India. Keeping wicket across five Tests is no joke.
Fast and Furious: England Attack
And then there’s the bowling. Or, more specifically, the dream of Jofra Archer and Mark Wood sharing the new ball on a spicy Perth pitch. That’s the kind of pairing that could rattle any top order.
Add Gus Atkinson, Josh Tongue, and Brydon Carse into the mix, and there’s genuine pace on the menu. But pace without fitness is a non-starter. England must manage their fast men carefully — start strong, but don’t flame out by Boxing Day.
Spin? It looks like Liam Dawson is out of the equation, and Shoaib Bashir is the frontrunner. Even Ricky Ponting rates him — that’s saying something. He might be the closest England get to having their own Nathan Lyon.
Preparation (or the Lack of It)
One warm-up game. That’s it.
Before facing Cummins, Starc, and Hazlewood on a quick wicket under Australian skies, England will have a single match against their own Lions squad. Not ideal.
Then again, they’ve made a habit of winning series openers and collapsing in finales. Just ask India. The key may lie in reversing that trend — slow burn, strong finish.
Australia: Stronger, But Beat-Able
The hosts will start favourites. Their bowling quartet of Cummins, Starc, Hazlewood and Lyon remains world-class. Their bench isn’t bad either — Scott Boland has the best average of any Test bowler since World War I. But against Bazball in 2023? Just two wickets for 231 runs.
Their batting, however, looks more brittle. Khawaja is fading, Konstas is unproven, and Cameron Green is still adjusting. Smith is still Smith, and Travis Head has blossomed. But there’s vulnerability there — if England can land early blows.
And the Australians? They can’t quite get their heads around England’s Bazballing approach. They respect Stokes, sure. But McCullum? Not so much. He’s seen as a rogue upstart — and they haven’t forgotten his own struggles against the Aussies.
Tick, Tock – Ashes Time is Coming
So here we are. 108 days to go.
108 days of press conferences, injury updates, selection debates, and predictions from Glenn McGrath. 108 days of sleep deprivation prep, of deciding between a proper Christmas or watching the Boxing Day Test live from Melbourne. 108 days of quietly daring to believe.
It won’t be easy. It never is down under. But if Stokes is there, fully fit and leading from the front, England have a puncher’s chance. And maybe, just maybe, they can pull off the unthinkable.
Because if Ben Stokes walks out onto the SCG in January, lifts the urn, and brings the Ashes home?
It won’t just be another Stokes miracle. It might be the greatest one yet.
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