England v Ireland: Ben Stokes says he will play full part in Ashes unless he 'can't walk'

Captain Ben Stokes says the lone mode helium volition not instrumentality a afloat portion successful England's Ashes summertime is if helium "can't walk".

Stokes volition pb England successful the one-off Test against Ireland connected Thursday.

"I've fixed myself the champion imaginable accidental to play a large role, particularly with the ball," helium told BBC Sport.

Stokes did not vessel successful England's past Test, a defeat by New Zealand successful Wellington successful February.

His clip with Chennai was disrupted by a foot injury, aft which helium was near retired of the side, but the all-rounder said helium utilized his clip successful India to amended his chances of playing a afloat portion with the shot for England.

"The genu is successful a overmuch amended spot than what it was successful Wellington," helium said.

"I've worked incredibly hard with the aesculapian squad successful Chennai, who were liaising with the England guys.

"I've got myself into a spot wherever I consciousness similar I'm backmost astatine a 2019, 2020 abstraction successful presumption of my body.

"I cognize I won't look backmost connected this summertime and regret immoderate decisions that I had successful the build-up period, due to the fact that I've worked my nuts off.

"Unless I can't walk, I'll beryllium connected the field."

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England volition manus a debut to Worcestershire gait bowler Josh Tongue successful the four-day Test against the Irish.

Bowlers James Anderson and Ollie Robinson person been near retired arsenic they retrieve from insignificant injuries, but Stokes said some would person been capable to play had this been the archetypal Ashes Test.

Tongue, 25, has been chosen up of Chris Woakes to articulation Stuart Broad and Matthew Potts successful the gait attack.

"We cognize Woakesy is simply a precise experienced subordinate and what helium volition connection this squad erstwhile helium plays," said Stokes.

"We spot this arsenic a large accidental to spot idiosyncratic similar Josh Tongue spell retired and play successful a Test. We mightiness request idiosyncratic similar him passim the summer.

"It gives maine an accidental to spot what his quality is similar and what helium is similar to run with arsenic a captain. Woakesy completed understood that."

The five-Test Ashes bid begins connected 16 June, with England looking to regain the urn from Australia for the archetypal clip successful 5 years.

Under Stokes and manager Brendon McCullum, England person won 10 of their past 12 Tests successful thrilling fashion.

Now, the imaginable of England taking their swashbuckling benignant to the Australians is creating the imaginable of the astir eagerly anticipated Ashes bid since the epic contention of 2005.

Stokes, though, does not judge that this summertime volition "define" his captaincy.

"That would marque it consciousness similar erstwhile the Ashes is over, that's it, but it's not it for maine arsenic a skipper oregon the extremity of what this squad is astir to do," helium added.

"This Ashes is astir the travel that we've been connected and volition proceed to beryllium on. It's not going to beryllium the extremity of maine arsenic a captain, maine arsenic a subordinate oregon this squad and the mode we're trying to advancement the game."

Stokes besides dismissed immoderate proposition that England's assertive method volition person to beryllium tempered against the high-quality Australian attack.

"That's the English mentality of turning thing antagonistic consecutive away," helium said.

"Every squad we've played against, it's been said 'it volition beryllium a large situation to play against that squad successful this way'.

"This is the mode we person recovered ourselves playing our champion cricket. Every squad we travel up against is simply a challenge, but I find myself answering the aforesaid question against antithetic opposition."

This volition beryllium Ireland's 2nd Test astatine Lord's - successful 2019 they bowled England retired for 85 earlier themselves succumbing for lone 38 successful a 143-run loss.

Since past they person played lone 3 Tests - each this year. They are inactive looking for their archetypal ever Test triumph aft six successive defeats.

Left-arm gait bowler Josh Little is not portion of the Ireland squad aft playing successful the IPL last for Gujarat Titans connected Monday. Little is being rested with the qualifying tourney for the 50-over World Cup opening connected 18 June successful Zimbabwe.

"Our absorption is to enactment successful our champion imaginable performance," said Ireland skipper Andrew Balbirnie.

"As a Test team, this is simply a pinnacle lawsuit for us. We're not definite erstwhile our adjacent Test is, truthful we person to bask this.

"I person to enactment what's champion for Josh. Of people I privation him successful my team, he's a superb bowler. I recognize helium has to remainder up and absorption connected getting acceptable for the World Cup qualifier."

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