After taking a sabbatical from cricket, Ben Stokes has been added to England’s men’s Test squad for the Ashes tour and says he is “ready for Australia.”
Following a second operation on a fractured left index finger, the Durham all-rounder has been given the green light to return to training and will join the squad on November 4th.
The Ashes is a Test cricket series between Australia and England. The word was coined in a humorous obituary published in a British newspaper, The Sporting Times, shortly after Australia’s first Test victory on English soil, at The Oval, in 1882.
Stokes stated in July that he would be taking an indefinite break from cricket to focus on his mental health, but now that he is back in shape, he says he feels re-energized.
“I took a hiatus to focus on my mental health and have my finger fixed,” Stokes explained. “I’m excited to see my teammates and be on the field with them.” “I’m prepared to travel to Australia.”
“Following a very successful operation on his finger and several conversations over the last few weeks between Ben and me, our medical staff, and his management team, Ben called me to say he was ready to return to cricket and was excited about the prospect of playing a significant role in the Ashes series,” said Ashley Giles, managing director of England men’s cricket.
