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Following the Ashes squad announcement, Chris Silverwood, England head coach, and selector shared an update on all-rounder Ben Stokes’ return. England’s full-strength 17-man squad highlights the absence of star all-rounder Ben Stokes as he continues his break from cricket to focus on his mental health. Ben Stokes is also yet to fully recover from an injury to his finger.

The all-rounder was already likely to miss the Ashes 2021/22 tour as he and England had not revealed any information about his return to cricket following his break. Additionally, Ben Stokes recently underwent a second surgery on his broken finger. As a result, Ben Stokes had decided not to take part in the England-India Test series, the second half of IPL 2021 at UAE, T20I World Cup, and Ashes to prioritize his mental wellbeing over cricket.

Ben Stokes Image Source : GETTY IMAGES — Ben Stokes Image Source: GETTY IMAGES

Chris Silverwood Won’t Pressurize Ben Stokes To Feature In The Ashes 2021/22

When Chris Silverwood was asked whether Ben Stokes could join the squad later, he remained uncertain. In a virtual conference clip uploaded by the ECB, Chris Silverwood said he would not rush Ben Stokes’ comeback. The head coach Chris Silverwood claimed his priority is to allow the all-rounder a complete recovery to be able to perform well after returning.

“I’m gonna go back to my old answer. I’m seriously not going to put any pressure on Ben whatsoever. Ben will come back when he is ready, he’ll give me a call. We’ll cross that bridge when we come to make plans when necessary. But first and foremost, my first intent is to make sure he’s okay from a well-being point of view when he is back to perform, ” said Chris Silverwood.

Ben Stokes has been on an indefinite break from cricket since August. As a result, the 30-year old will miss the T20 World Cup and most probably the Ashes. However, the recovery period for his finger injury means Ben Stokes will likely return during England’s tour of the West Indies in early 2022.

Ben Stokes To Miss Second Consecutive Ashes

Ben Stokes’ almost certain absence also means he will sit out a second consecutive Ashes tour. The seam-bowling all-rounder could not play in the 2017-18 Ashes in Australia after his involvement in the street brawl and the disciplinary process that followed.

His performance in the 2019 Ashes in England was remarkable, helping the hosts settle for a 2-2 draw. He amassed 441 runs in 5 innings averaging 55.13, which included 2 tons. Ben Stokes’ heroics in the final of World Cup 2019, where he scored 84 runs, helping England win their maiden 50-over World Cup title, is still fresh in every English fan’s memory.

England's Ben Stokes — England’s Ben Stokes — AFP

Ben Stokes broke his hand, taking a catch for Rajasthan Royals in the now-suspended Indian Premier League 2021, and a repeat X-ray and CT scan revealed that he has a fracture of his left index finger. As a result, he missed the 2 Tests against New Zealand, while his last Test came against India in March 2021. Ben Stokes averages 37.05 in 71 Tests, where he amassed 4631 runs with 10 tons and has also taken 163 scalps averaging 31.38 with the ball in hand.

Ben Stokes and Sam Curran missed out, but seamer Stuart Broad was included despite the calf injury he picked up in the Test series against India. Fast bowler Jofra Archer was also unavailable after he suffered a recurrence of a stress fracture in his elbow, and Olly Stone was ruled out with a back injury. Moeen Ali had retired from Tests.

England’s full squad for The Ashes: Joe Root (captain), 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, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.