"My dad would have been hugely proud to see me representing England and ready to take on Australia" - Ben Stokes

Star England all-rounder Ben Stokes remembered his late father ahead of a high-voltage Ashes series against Australia, which starts on Wednesday. Stokes revealed that as one of his biggest motivators, Ged Stokes would have been proud to see him feature in the marquee series.

Stokes' father passed away, aged 65, on December 8 2020, after a brief battle with brain cancer. The seam-bowling all-rounder skipped international duty in August of 2020 to be with his father after discovering he had brain cancer. Ged, a former New Zealand Rugby player, received widespread tributes after his demise.

Writing in his column for The Mirror, Ben Stokes recalled the nearing of his father's first death anniversary. The 30-year-old expressed how ecstatic his dad would have been to see him competing in Australia. He wrote:

"There will also be a bit of my mind thinking about my dad Ged and the fact that it will be exactly one year to the day since he passed away. He and my mum have always been my biggest supporters and I know he would have been hugely proud to see me back out there representing England, ready to take on Australia."

Stokes also remarked that an Ashes series is a special occasion and hopes to help England reclaim the urn after putting his mental-health struggles behind him. He continued:

"Walking out to play in an England shirt once more after the break I've had will be a special moment as it always is. Playing in the Ashes is all the motivation you need. I'll be fully focused on my job and doing what I can whenever Joe Root asks me to get involved."

The Kiwi-born all-rounder will be returning to professional cricket for the first time since August. He skipped the home series against India and the T20 World Cup, taking a mental health break. Stokes, who missed the 2017-18 leg in Australia, will be keen to deliver impactful performances this time around.

"We don't focus too much on the opposition" - Ben Stokes

Although Stokes asserted England aren't too worried about who is in Australia's ranks, he singled out his counterpart Cameron Green. Citing his keenness to see what the all-rounder can offer, Stokes wrote:

"The Aussies have named their side early and it is good to see another all-rounder in the contest with Cameron Green playing his first Ashes Test. We don't focus too much on the opposition and put our faith in what we can do as a team, but from one all-rounder to another, it is good to see a young player making his way in international cricket."

The 30-year-old added:

"You always look out for the players who do the same things as you, so it will be interesting to see how he goes in the series. The main interest, though, is how our players perform."

The first Ashes Test gets underway on December 8 at the Gabba in Brisbane, where England haven't won since 1986.