Ben Stokes, the captain of England, will now be “toning down expectations” after acknowledging that he placed “too much emphasis” on the Ashes in Australia next year.
Stokes clarified at the start of the home season that he has restructured his team with the Ashes in mind, including James Anderson’s retirement.
England’s schedule includes a five-test series against India, a one-off match against Zimbabwe in May, and the last Test in New Zealand before their trip to Australia in November.
“In interviews in the summer and stuff like that, a lot was pointed towards the Ashes, which was a long way away,” stated Stokes.
“You always keep an eye on that, but we still have six tests left to go.
