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New Delhi: England's Test skipper Ben Stokes and pacer Mark Wood have recovered from injuries and resumed training to provide a huge boost to their preparations for the Ashes series in Australia later this year.
Both players are expected to return to action next week after a shoulder issue kept Stokes out of England's team for the fifth and final Test against India at the Oval while Wood underwent a knee surgery to be on the sidelines since February.
Stokes picked up the injury in the fourth Test against India at Old Trafford in July. The 34-year-old had begun batting in the nets, leaving Durham head coach Ryan Campbell with no doubts about the all-rounder will be in the plane to Australia for the Ashes series that begins in Perth on November 21.
"Over the last week, he's started to hit balls and had a really good session. The batting side of things is going very well but the bowling will take a lot longer. He is being treated very steadily," Campbell told BBC Radio 5 Live.
"The guy is so good because he makes your batting line-up deep and is a genuine force as a third or fourth seamer. He is going to bowl so many overs and can get you wickets."
Campbell said he hopes Wood would be ready to play for Durham next week.
"I've got my fingers crossed that Wood plays for us next week. If that happens, it's not only great for Durham but also for England. He is extremely close to playing," he said.
England head coach Brendon McCullum said England players are encouraged to bat freely but not told to be rigid about it.
"We never have that kind of mindset about ourselves in the sense that, we're not rigid in how we go about things," McCullum told BBC Sport.
"I think there's a bit of a misconception about how we play, that we swing the bat as hard as we can, we try to take wickets and then we go for a round of golf and a few beers.
"I find it slightly disrespectful to all of you guys (the players) and all of the people in the set-up who work so hard and have such clear determination of wanting to succeed, to have that so simply categorised, almost.
"For us, it's about trying to create an environment that allows you to handle the pressures of international cricket, to understand the size of that task but to not be restricted in your ability to play," McCullum added.
"You want your talent to come out, I hate seeing talent stymied, so having a certain style or belief in how we want to play gives us the best chance of success. You can't do that if you are bound by this tension and negativity."
