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‘Going to play without fear’ - Ben Stokes Issues Bold Warning to Australia Ahead of Ashes


image-lippvo93England captain Ben Stokes | Source: Twitter 

Ahead of the highly-anticipated Ashes, England's Test captain Ben Stokes has issued a strong warning to the Australian team, stating that his team will not hold back and will bring their A-game to the upcoming bilateral series. 

In an exclusive interview with The Players' Tribune, Stokes spoke about England's burning desire to seek revenge after being thrashed thoroughly by Australia in the previous edition of the series. 

Following their crushing 0-4 defeat in Australia, England underwent a significant transformation in their setup, with Ben Stokes taking up the role of captain and Brendon McCullum taking the reins as head coach. Under this duo, England has experienced great success so far. 

Here’s what Stokes said in The Players' Tribune: 

“I promise you: We’re going to play without fear. We’re going to hold nothing back. And we’re going to make some memories. Hopefully, the result is that we take the urn back, but the most important thing is that — whatever happens — you will be entertained.” 

In reflecting on the team dynamics, the star all-rounder heaped praises on head coach Brendon McCullum, attributing the uplifting environment and collective well-being of the players to his exceptional leadership. 

"I have to give credit to Brendon, because his philosophy as head coach is all about creating an environment where people are also looking forward to meeting up as a team. He is always saying, “We’re here to make memories whilst we can, ’cause you’re not gonna be in this position for very long.” At the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about."

England have looked far from the impressive against Australia in the last three series, including a closely contested draw in 2019. Their most recent Ashes victory came back in 2015 under the leadership of Alastair Cook to a memorable 3-2 win. With the upcoming series on the horizon, excitement mounts for an evenly balanced contest between the two sides.