(Reuters) – England skipper Ben Stokes is confident that he will be able to bowl in the first Ashes test against Australia at Edgbaston that begins on Friday on the back of his recent performances in training.
Stokes has struggled with knee issues for some time, restricting his seam bowling in test matches.
The 32-year-old all-rounder, who has picked up 194 test wickets, has bowled only 17 overs in his last four tests, while he bowled just one over for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL.
He did not bat or bowl in the win over Ireland earlier this month.
“The last three days have been really good for my confidence. I have bowled some overs and been able to run in with more intensity day by day so I have got myself in a really good place to bowl,” Stokes told reporters on Thursday.
“I definitely feel in a better place than I did in Wellington (v New Zealand earlier this year) and even before that.
“I am not going to speak too soon around things because who knows where I will be in two weeks’ time. But hopefully I don’t have to worry about that. I will give 100% of what I have got at the time.”
While Stokes’ availability comes as a welcome boost to England’s bowling department, they will not be able to call upon first-choice spinner Jack Leach, who suffered a stress fracture in his back earlier this month.
Leach will be replaced by spin all-rounder Moeen Ali, who played the last of his 64 tests nearly two years ago.
“I had to think hard about who we were going to replace Leachy with and a player like Mo who I have seen put in some unbelievable match-winning performances, albeit a long time ago, was something that I couldn’t look past,” Stokes said.
“That was a stomach and a heart feeling rather than my brain and I have generally stuck with my gut throughout my whole captaincy so far.
“Moeen is going to come in here and I am looking at what he can offer to this team on his best days and not worrying about anything else.”
The Ashes gets under way at Edgbaston on June 16.
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Nashik, India; Editing by Toby Davis)
