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England Test skipper Ben Stokes is looking forward to leading his side to their first Ashes series win Down Under since 2010/11.
If he is successful, he will become just the sixth England skipper to have achieved the feat after the Second World War. England is set to lock horns with Australia on Friday in the series opener on Friday at the Optus Stadium in Perth. Len Hutton, Ray Illingworth, Mike Brearley, Mike Gatting, and Andrew Strauss are the ones who have achieved that feat thus far. "We all know that England's record in Australia over the course of Ashes history isn't the best. But we have got an opportunity here over the next two and a half months to write our own history. We have obviously come here with a goal, and that goal is to get on that plane in January, returning to England being Ashes winners," Ben Stokes said as quoted from ICC. Stokes, however, remained realistic about Australia's dominance at home. "But it's going to be very, very tough. Beating Australia in Australia is not a very easy thing," he added. Stokes, however, remained tight-lipped on his playing XI for the Perth Test. The English had announced their 12-player squad yesterday. "Team sport takes all eleven to influence at some point. All eleven guys who get the honour of being selected in the next five games will be just as important as each other," he noted. The England captain also backed young off-spinner Shoaib Bashir, who has just featured in the tour practice fixture since his comeback, and is a part of the 12-member squad. He had last featured in the iconic Lord's Test against India, where he bowled the side to victory despite a fractured finger. "He was always going to be in the 12-man [squad]. Seeing the way the game [England v England Lions] at Lilac Hill went, it felt like we could just get him as many opportunities to bowl as possible," he said. Stokes also gave his take on Mark Wood's fitness, who had precautionary scans last week. "He's flying," Stokes said. "I know you guys say he only bowled eight overs in the game, but he's been bowling for a long, long time. He has always been someone who can just hit the ground running in a game, and he's bowling rapidly." Earlier, in an interview with Sky Sports, Stokes had already discussed how he had been putting in the hard yards for Australia and was ready to give it all over the next five Tests. "I definitely expect to play all five Tests. I am 34, I have played a lot of cricket, and it is hard to do everything as an all-rounder. That is how I have always played the game. I will leave it all out there. I have worked so hard the last three months to make sure that when it comes to game time, I am there physically to fulfil that role," he concluded. The five-Test Ashes series will also have a bearing on the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 Standings. (ANI)
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