In a massive boost to England, all-rounder Ben Stokes has been added to their squad for the Ashes, which gets underway on December 8 in Brisbane. Stokes has been out of action owing to his break from cricket due to mental health issues. He was also struggling with a finger injury he sustained in the first leg of IPL. Even though he underwent surgery, the finger didn’t heal as expected which forced Stokes to undergo another surgery. Stokes recently revealed that he is doing good after the second surgery which raised hopes of an Ashes return.

“I had a break to prioritise my mental wellbeing and I got my finger sorted. I am looking forward to seeing my mates and being on the field with them. I’m ready for Australia,” ECB quoted Stokes in their statement.

ECB Managing Director Ashley Giles revealed that Stokes was added to the squad after getting clearance from the medical team. “Following a very successful operation on his finger and several conversations over the last few weeks between Ben and I, 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. Learn more about cricket betting apps how it work.

Stokes has been a key member of the England setup and his inclusion will boost England’s chances in the Ashes. “Time and time again, Ben has demonstrated how important he is to the England team and having him available for the Ashes series is excellent news for all of us and, in particular, Chris (Silverwood), Joe (Root) and the rest of the players, he added. Check our prediction for  england vs west indies.

Updated Squad: Joe Root (C), James Anderson, Jonathan Bairstow, Dom Bess, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Haseeb Hameed, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Dawid Malan, Craig Overton, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood

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