England captain Ben Stokes has thrown a protecting arm round his beleaguered facet and pledged his assist for under-fire opener Ben Duckett.
The vacationers have already surrendered the urn after going 3-0 down and their build-up to the Boxing Day Check has been beset by studies of extreme consuming on their mid-series journey to Noosa.
Inside hours of managing director Rob Key saying he can be investigating the squad’s alcohol consumption on the journey, unverified footage emerged on social media showing to indicate an inebriated Duckett in a tense change with members of the general public.
Talking for the primary time for the reason that England and Wales Cricket Board issued a press release reiterating its “high expectations of behaviour”, Stokes mentioned his precedence as skipper was shielding his gamers from the rising glare of scrutiny.
Stokes has endured troublesome moments in his personal profession – together with being thrown off an England Lions tour in 2013 for breaking staff guidelines and being discovered not responsible on prices of affray following a 2017 incident outdoors a Bristol nightclub.
He took a psychological well being break from the sport in 2021 and later launched a documentary which detailed his private struggles.
“I am obviously aware of the reports and everything circulating around,” the England captain mentioned. “My principal concern proper now’s my gamers and the way I deal with this second is crucial factor to me.
“I have first-hand experience of how this can affect people and my role as England captain is to protect my players as much as I possibly can. Supporting them and letting them know that I will be there for them through thick and thin is very, very important, and Ben Duckett knows that.
“I’ve clearly reached out, spoken to him and provided my full assist all through this. Notably in a second like this the place all the pieces feels prefer it’s on prime of you.
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England’s managing director Rob Key has backed Brendon McCullum, saying he is the most effective man to proceed to guide England regardless of their heavy loss to Australia within the Ashes.
“My job as England captain is obviously to be out there and get results for the team, but also to try to give people the best chance of being in a mental space where they can go out there and perform.”
Detailing his dialog with Duckett, he mentioned: “You know when you go up to someone and say, ‘I’m always here for you if you need five minutes’. I just reassured him that I’m not saying that for the sake of it. Just please come to me because I know what it’s like. It’s not a nice place to be.”
Archer out of Ashes whereas Bethell replaces Pope
With no reserve openers on tour, Duckett was by no means more likely to be stood down in Melbourne, however as anticipated Ollie Pope has lastly run out of street at quantity three. Jacob Bethell will get the nod in what shall be comfortably the most important sport of his profession.
Pope has been below strain for a 12 months, averages 17 throughout 16 Ashes innings and misplaced the vice-captaincy simply earlier than travelling to Australia. He now faces a return to county cricket and a protracted street again after 64 Checks.
Gus Atkinson additionally returns to the England XI instead of Jofra Archer, with England’s most threatening tempo bowler dominated out for the rest of the tour with a worrying left facet pressure.
Ashes sequence in Australia 2025-26
Australia lead five-match sequence 3-0
