England Test captain Ben Stokes made a fiery return ever since being sidelined during the India series earlier in July. Stokes, who was in impressive form, finishing as the third-highest wicket-taker in the series, was forced to miss the final game due to a shoulder injury.
However, he is now ready to fire on all cylinders and sent a strong warning to Australia ahead of the Ashes 2025. The 34-year-old gave a glimpse of his sheer talent with a stellar six-wicket haul playing for the England XI against the England Lions in a warm-up clash ahead of the high-octane series against the Aussies from November 21.
Stokes had a spell in each session of Day 1 of the England Lions vs England XI game. Ben Stokes made an immediate impact, taking the wicket of Lions captain Tom Haines with his fifth delivery after the batter skewed a shot to mid-on. He continued his effective spell by removing Bethell next, who pulled a ball directly to square leg. Stokes also accounted for the key wickets of Will Jacks, who had made a substantial 84, and Jordan Cox, who was on 53. Cox was caught by Wood at long leg, and Rehan Ahmed was dismissed in a very similar manner shortly after. Tom Lawes was Stokes’ final victim, departing for a three-ball duck.
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While the England skipper’s heroics bundled out the opposition on 382, the Three Lions faced a major setback before the much-anticipated Ashes 2025 series as pacer Mark Wood suffered a hamstring injury. He bowled eight overs in the first session but was then absent from the field for the remainder of the day. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed the injury and mentioned that the pacer will be taken for precautionary scans tomorrow (November 14). The England board also stated that Wood can be expected to bowl in two days’ time but it remains to be seen.
Wood last played for England during the Champions Trophy 2025 and has been out of action since, having undergone knee surgery. He was touted for a return during the final India match but the management took a precautionary approach and if there’s any minor hiccup now, his comeback can be further delayed.
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