Ben Stokes back in full training after shoulder injury
Rob Key confirms Stokes fit for 2025–26 Ashes
Ashes 2025 kicks off on November 21
England captain Ben Stokes has been backed to play a full role in the Ashes.
Stokes has not played since he missed the final Test against India in July due to a shoulder injury. The 34-year-old has also stepped back in terms of his bowling duties over the past year.
However, England assistant Marcus Trescothick has backed Stokes to play a full, all-rounder role.
"As long as he's happy and feeling good, he'll go into the Test matches playing a full role," he told BBC Sport.
Ben Duckett, meanwhile, has claimed Stokes has been a "beast" in a bid to be fully fit for the five-match series, which begins in Perth on November 21.
"I can only say we’ve been out here for a few days and he’s been in beast mode," Duckett told the Willow Talk podcast.
"He’s been running, bowling two spells, batting for two hours. The way he trains these days is something I’ve never seen before. He’s an absolute beast.
"He’s probably the most important man in this side when he’s bowling, so hopefully he stays fit for all five Tests and he’s bowling in all of them, because he’s crucial for us."
England have only one warm-up Test before the Ashes begin, though their white-ball team did go on a short tour of New Zealand over the last month.
And Trescothick thinks England's approach to their preparation is correct.
"Times have dramatically changed in the way that cricket is done," he said.
"What we are doing for this series isn't anything different from when we went to New Zealand, Pakistan or anywhere else. It isn't any different from when India come to England, or when Australia come to England.
"People are talking about it and I obviously respect their opinions, but the volume of cricket that is now played around the world, the opportunities are not there.
"The intensity of playing five Test matches, if we were to go and play two or three warm-up matches on top of that, having done it myself in the past it is very, very tricky. We're happy with what we're trying to do."
