England Test skipper Joe Root has said that he is absolutely thrilled with the addition of Ben Stokes in the Ashes squad as everyone knows what the all-rounder is capable of.
Stokes had last played in the ODI series against Pakistan, and then he had taken some time to look after his mental health. "Obviously, it's massive news. Speak to anyone within the game, whether they'd prefer to have Ben in their team or not, and everyone would say they would. On a personal level, I'm just absolutely thrilled that he's in a place where he can get back playing and enjoy the sport once again," ESPNcricinfo quoted Root as saying.
"Although we all know what Ben is capable of, we're still managing expectations. He's been out of the game a long time, he's had a serious injury and he's got a lot of work to do to get himself back to the Ben Stokes we all know. But if there's one thing we can bet on with Ben it's that he'll do everything he can to ready himself and then put in performances that help England win games of cricket," he added.
England and Australia will lock horns in five-match Ashes series, beginning December 8 at the Gabba, Brisbane.
"He's a massive asset in many respects. First and foremost, his performances on the field, especially what he has done against Australia in the recent past. But also the way that he plays his cricket. Look at where we are going: we are going to have periods of play where it's going to be very challenging. We're going have to have people stick their hands up and grab the game - he is someone who will always do that," said Root.
"He'll lead from the front in that respect, he is a brilliant leader in the dressing room and people follow him. They look at how he works, how he practices, how he goes about his cricket. And they all want to go along with him.
“That's a great trait to have, along with being capable of performing how he does. It's a huge boost for balancing the side as well, as he has done for such a long time now. Everything about the way he goes about things is going to be great for us," he added.
Stokes had undergone a secondary operation on his finger last month, to remove scar tissue.
