‘I know what the crowds will be like in Australia, but I say — bring it on!’

Stokes, who took an indefinite break last summer, would join the Ashes squad at some point the moment he started posting upbeat pictures and videos of him batting and bowling pain free after a second operation on a serious finger injury. But what was unexpected was that he has been cleared by England’s medical specialists to travel from the start and is now set to make his first Test appearance at the Gabba on December 8 since he faced India at Ahmedabad in March. ‘I’m buzzing for the Ashes,’ said Stokes yesterday in his Daily Mirror column. ‘To be able to confirm that I would be available to join the tour from the start was a great moment. I didn’t realise how much of an issue the finger was until I got it sorted the second time round. But I had also been struggling with bubble life and events off the field. ‘I don’t want anyone to feel the way I did because I wasn’t in a good place and I’m not afraid to admit it. ‘I was in a real dark place and having some difficult thoughts. I was always one of those people who wouldn’t talk about how they are feeling and just keep it internal and crack on. I now realise talking is such a powerful thing and it has completely changed me. ‘I feel much better about everything from my finger to my mental well-being. I know I can focus once again on playing my best cricket Down Under this winter.’ Stokes, 30, has not played since his second