England captain Ben Stokes has admitted he put “an excessive amount of emphasis” on subsequent yr’s Ashes in Australia and can now be “firming down expectations”.
Originally of the house summer season, Stokes defined an overhaul of his staff, together with the retirement of James Anderson, was done with the Ashes in mind.
Earlier than they journey down below subsequent November, England have the ultimate Take a look at in New Zealand, a one-off match at residence to Zimbabwe in Might and a marquee five-Take a look at collection internet hosting India.
“In interviews in the summertime and stuff like that lots was pointed in direction of the Ashes, which was a good distance away,” mentioned Stokes.
“You do all the time have one eye on that however we have now six extra Checks earlier than that.
“It is simply ensuring I hold my concentrate on being within the right here and now and what we have developing, and when the Ashes is our subsequent collection, then we are going to concentrate on it.”
England begin their seventeenth, and ultimate, Take a look at of 2024 in Hamilton on Saturday (22:00 GMT Friday) with the prospect to turn out to be solely the third visiting facet to win a three-match collection 3-0 in New Zealand. Simply as soon as earlier than, in 2016, have England performed 17 Checks in a calendar yr.
After numerous gamers opted to drive north from second-Take a look at venue Wellington, England didn’t identify a staff on Thursday and can as a substitute wait till Friday’s coaching session.
Stokes mentioned he expects Harry Brook – the world’s new number-one Test batter – to be match after an ankle drawback, however hinted at freshening up the pace-bowling assault.
“Regardless that we completed early in Wellington it felt like all of the overs from the seamers had been greater than the scorecard due to the climate,” he mentioned. “The lads put in powerful graft, so we’ll see how they pull up.”
