Ben Stokes and his Test squad fly to Perth next week with a single ambition: win back the Ashes they feel slipped through their fingers at The Oval last year. So says Michael Vaughan, who spoke at a Viagogo function in London and set out both his optimism and his reservations.
“I think they need a trophy,” Vaughan said, opening with the bluntness that became his hallmark in 2005. “I mean, would I take two-all now? Probably, let’s be honest. In the last few series, 2010-11 is the only time that I’ve seen England have success. We won one Test match in 2002-03, we won three Test matches in 2010-11. We haven’t won a Test since. So actually looking at growth in terms of what English cricket is delivering and, crikey, if you could get a two-all series, you’d obviously take that.
“But I think Ben and his mentality, and the way that he plays his cricket, this is his moment. He has to deliver and he has to get that urn in his hand. And it’s not putting him under pressure. They’ll be speaking in this kind of language in the dressing-room. They will expect to win this series and now’s the time to deliver.”
The figures back Vaughan’s confidence. Since Stokes took full control in June 2022, England have 22 wins in 36 Tests, a startling turnaround from the one-in-17 slump that cost his predecessor the job. What they do not have is a five-match series win, and their World Test Championship standing—sixth after the summer draw with India—still looks modest.
Squad fitness and balance
While 11 of the 17-man party are finishing an ODI programme in New Zealand, the full Ashes group gathers in Western Australia on Monday. They will play a three-day warm-up against the Lions from 13 November, eight days before the opener at Optus Stadium. That match will decide final places, but also give medical staff one last look at Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, whose combined pace remains England’s trump card—provided both stay intact.
The selectors signalled a two-year shift in policy by omitting James Anderson after his retirement last winter. At 43, they felt he could not shoulder another five Tests on Kookaburra surfaces. In his place come taller, quicker seamers: Josh Tongue, Brydon Carse and the reinvigorated Ollie Robinson, whose release point suits Australian wickets. Chris Woakes is present too, partly for experience, partly because he hits the seam and offers handy lower-order runs.
Vaughan, though, worries England might lean too heavily on raw speed. “Look, the temptation is obvious,” he told reporters. “You land in Australia, everyone tells you to bowl as quick as possible. Yet some of the more helpful surfaces—Adelaide by night, Sydney when it’s overcast—demand skill, not just speed.” He pointed to England’s 2010-11 success, built on conventional swing from Anderson and Tim Bresnan rather than express pace alone.
Stokes the bowler
Stokes’s own contribution with the ball is likely to be crucial and may come earlier in spells than usual. A long rehabilitation programme after knee surgery last winter has restored most of his pace, but the captain is reluctant to over-promise. Nets in Mount Maunganui last week hinted at speeds in the mid-80s mph, not dissimilar to his 2019 peak.
“He’s the one who can attack and defend at the same time,” one back-room analyst said. “He hides the ball, changes angle, nicks a wicket just after drinks. Australia know that.”
Australian conditions—more English than billed?
The phrase doing the rounds inside the England camp is “very English Australian pitches”. Drop-in strips at Perth and Melbourne, plus a five-match schedule stretching into January, should produce surfaces with grass and, importantly, variable bounce. Stokes has already spoken of using Wood in short bursts rather than marathon spells, with Archer and Tongue sharing new-ball duties where appropriate.
Vaughan supports the plan, though adds a caveat. “If the Kookaburra does a bit early—and recently it has—you still need someone who can kiss the seam at 80-odd and hold length. That could be Woakes or Robinson. Just don’t forget them because Wood is bowling rockets in the nets.”
Spin has been a side-story, though Jack Leach’s return after his back stress fracture offers control and, occasionally, bounce that troubles Australia’s lower order. Rehan Ahmed travels as the second spinner and possible wildcard; his wrong ’un has already been noted by local coaches.
Batting order more settled
For once the top six picks itself. Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett have banked enough runs in India, while Ollie Pope is fully recovered from a dislocated shoulder. Joe Root remains the fulcrum at No.4, Harry Brook slots in at five, and Jonny Bairstow is expected to keep wicket. Only Brook’s position is mildly debated; he volunteered to bat at three for Yorkshire late last season, but the management value Pope’s method against the new ball.
Balanced expectations
Despite a 14-0 aggregate on the last three tours, confidence is unusually high. Much of that flows from the McCullum-Stokes approach: front-foot fields, attacking lines and a willingness to chase. Yet players insist they understand the brutality of Australian cricket. One senior bowler recalled 2017-18, when a hostile crowd at the Gabba rattled England early and Pat Cummins sealed the tone with a bumper that clattered Moeen Ali’s glove. “We’re better prepared for that now,” he said. “Bazball isn’t a slogan; it’s how we train every day.”
Vaughan ended his media round with a note of caution, stressing that fine lines decide modern Ashes contests. A dropped catch at slip or a mis-judged declaration can swing momentum for weeks. Yet he sees real opportunity.
“Australia are still strong,” he said, “but take away their home aura and you can get at them. England have the talent. The question is whether, under pressure, they can keep trusting that method. If they do, we could be in for one of the best contests in years.”
The words hang in the air—hopeful but measured, much like England’s plan for the next two months.
