Ashes 2025-26: “England’s Ben Stokes is a lion leading the lambs – needs his teammates to step up”

But Stokes will lead an almost unrecognizable line-up from the last Test of the previous Ashes series in 2023. England will have five survivors. Had Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood been fit, Australia could have had as many as nine.

There was an idea before this series that a captain could be identified who motivated his body during the most time on the field.

Cummins has only played one game and won it. Stokes will complete a Test series for the first time in two years and will still be beaten.

Australia have a ready-made vice-captain in Steve Smith, who will likely pass the captaincy to Travis Head and Alex Carey if necessary. Described as old and over the hill, the Australians have proven to be full of battle-hardened seniors.

Since the last Ashes, England have lost or given away Stuart Broad, James Anderson, Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Chris Woakes, Ollie Robinson and Jack Leach. If individual selection decisions were made separately, they were correct and necessary, but they left England short of leaders.

Often during this tour, there was a feeling that Stokes was a lion leading the lambs.

Duckett, Jimmy Smith and Gus Atkinson have withered under the bright lights, an injury to Mark Wood has left the pace attack without a senior seamer, and vice-captain Harry Brook is in need of maturity.

On Friday, Zak Crawley, whose 63 Tests will make him England’s third-most capped player in Sydney, was asked about being a senior player.

“I never see myself like that to be honest,” the opener said. “I don’t think anyone on the team really does.”