Ben Stokes: the England captain on his way to a comeback
Stokes enters the Ashes having successfully returned to competitive bowling following a shoulder injury suffered in July 2025 against India. His recent performance in the warm-up against the English lions was a devastating warning for Australia, where he tore through the batting line-up with a sensational haul of 6 wickets for 52 runs, confirming that he is in beast mode.
While Stokes’ main value is his inspirational leadership and batting skills, he is one of only three all-rounders in Test history to have scored more than 7,000 runs and taken more than 200 wickets. His bowling fitness is a huge boost for the England attack. The Australian media and former players, such as Andreas Strausshave already targeted Stokes, aiming to get under his skin and exploit his emotional nature, but the captain’s best response, historically, has been with incredible, inspired performances with both bat and ball, such as his legendary 135* at Headingley in 2019.
Ben Stokes Last Series Appearance (2025):
| Role | Final competitive action | Competitions | Wickets/runs | Average/economy | Highlight | |
| Bowling | Warm-up against England Lions (November 2025) | 1 | 6 wickets | 3.25 | A 6-52 performance in his return from injury. | |
| Hit | Warm-up against England Lions (November 2025) | 1 | 92 runs | 46:00 | Scored an unbeaten 77 in the first innings. |
Nathan Lyon: The GOAT seeking Test match redemption
Nathan Lyonknown as ‘Garry’ or ‘The GOAT’, is Australia’s indispensable spinner, entering the series with over 500 Test wickets and a career average of 31.06 against England, having taken 110 wickets in 30 Ashes Tests. Fully aware of his crucial role, Lyon has recently stated that any Australian success will come from everyone contributing, but his specific role is non-negotiable, especially on the fast Australian wickets where he can exploit the jump.
The 37-year-old off-spinner will face the ultimate test against England’s aggressive Bazball philosophy, which is aimed at getting the spinner to score quickly and disrupt the Australian rhythm. Lyon’s last series outing was short-lived, with one test against the West Indies in July 2025, but his confidence is high, and he is determined to prove that even in pace-friendly Perth, his accuracy and ability to turn the ball hard remain a threat.
Nathan Lyon Last Series appearance (2025):
| Role | Final series (Frank Worrell Trophy 2025) | Competitions | Wickets | Average | Best marks |
| Bowling | West Indies (away) | 1 | 3 | 32.66 | 2/60 |
Head-to-Head Battle: Ben Stokes vs Nathan Lyon in Test cricket
The long-running battle between Stokes and Lyon is perhaps the most defining individual rivalry of the modern Ashes. During their Test encounters, Stokes faced a whopping 872 deliveries from the Australian off-spinner, scoring 434 runs at an overall strike rate of 48.7. While this strike rate suggests a degree of caution, the true measure of Lyon’s threat lies in the dismissals: the off-spinner has claimed the England captain’s crucial wicket nine times in Test cricket.
This makes Lyon Stokes’ most frequent tormentor, highlighting the strategic significance of this match. Historically, Stokes has been a key boundary player against Lyon, hitting seven sixes from the spinner in his 2019 series. The upcoming Ashes will be a battle between Stokes’ ‘Bazball’ mandate to attack and Lyon’s ruthless accuracy and use of bounce. If Stokes manages to launch an attack and disrupt Lyon’s rhythm, England’s mid-range scoring rate will rise; if Lyon maintains control and finds the rough, he will not only claim the crucial wicket but also put the brakes on the entire English innings.
| Year | Running | Balls | Out | SR | Avg |
| 2013 | 55 | 135 | 2 | 40.7 | 27.5 |
| 2014 | 42 | 52 | 0 | 80.8 | – |
| 2015 | 62 | 79 | 1 | 78.5 | 62.0 |
| 2019 | 155 | 327 | 3 | 47.4 | 51.7 |
| 2021 | 45 | 138 | 1 | 32.6 | 45.0 |
| 2022 | 34 | 70 | 2 | 48.6 | 17.0 |
| Total | 409 | 840 | 9 | 48.7 | 45.4 |
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