BEN FIRED BY ASHES HURT
BEN STOKES is a man on a mission – driven by the fear of letting people down again.
Hurt and frustrated by England’s Ashes humiliation Down Under, the talisman all-rounder is determined to make amends and make sure he is fit for purpose.
Stokes came back to face the Aussies after a lengthy break from the game due to injury and attention for his mental well-being.
He remains his own harshest critic and admits he fell well below the standards he sets himself.
Stokes has long been regarded as a fearsome trainer, and he has clearly gone back to the methods that served him so well in 2018 and 2019 – putting in extra training shifts that have had teammates and management alike in awe.
And as a new-look red-ball team face three Tests starting on Tuesday, the West Indies must confront a fit and firing Stokes focused on getting the job done.
He said: “Looking back on Australia we’ve had some honest reflections not only as a team but individuals.
“And one of my reflections on the tour as a whole was that I personally felt I let the team down with more than just performances.
“I would have liked to have been in better physical shape when I was in Australia.
“I felt I let myself down, but the thing that really grinds me the most and hurts me the most is that I let a lot of other people down – so that’s my reflection on that and I never want to feel that way again.
“Obviously I had a long break which never helps, but I could have been better. I wasn’t able to impact the game as I would like to or how I normally do and everything just seemed harder.
“If you’re not willing to keep learning then you’re going about it the wrong way. I know what I want to give to the team and I know what I have to do to deliver that on a consistent basis.”
With skipper Joe Root moving back up to No.3, Stokes and Jonny Bairstow will form an experienced and powerful engine room at five and six where they could take games away from the Windies.
They combined to good effect in the draw in Sydney, but expectations will be higher for England against a home side that is also rebuilding. Stokes knows the best way he can show his unwavering support for Root is through performances that will ease the pressure on a captain who needs to show he can win without James Anderson and Stuart Broad.
“This is our chance to build something new,” added Stokes.
“With all respect to Jimmy and Stuart, they are not here and the guys who are have an opportunity.
“The captain doesn’t bowl or face every ball, there are 10 others out there too. Joe is 100 percent the right man to lead this team – and I’m right behind him every step of the way.”