On the eve of a new series, and four years after he carved his name into Ashes folklore with a heroic, unbeaten, match-winning innings of 135 at Headingley, Ben Stokes encouraged his team to grasp the opportunity that this historic rivalry offers more than any other: for players to become legends.
"We all know if you do well in the Ashes you're going to be spoken about for many a year," he said. "When the Ashes comes around it's the big one in the calendar. So any individual who finds themselves either having a great series or a great individual performance, that will never be forgotten."
There have been many Ashes when it has been hard to find anything on which both teams agree but as they prepared for action to start at Edgbaston today there was one thing both captains insisted was true: that their side is capable of beating any other.
"If we play to the capabilities we know we're capable of then I know we are able to beat any team," said Stokes. "I know that's a big statement in itself, but I think what we've done over the last year, we're able to say that."
This story is from the June 16, 2023 edition of The Guardian.
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This story is from the June 16, 2023 edition of The Guardian.
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