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New Delhi: England skipper Ben Stokes made a strong statement of intent ahead of the Ashes as he grabbed on the opening day of the team’s in-house warm-up clash against Andrew Flintoff’s Lions in Perth.

Stokes is playing his first competitive game since suffering a shoulder injury in July against India. He looked sharp and in rhythm at Lilac Hill, finishing off with figures of 4 for 45 in 12 overs. His efforts helped his team to restrict the Lions to 28 for five at tea with only Josh Tongue joining him among the wicket-takers.

Stokes has been under the scanner since arriving in Australia but he answered all the critics in the best possible way with the ball in hand. He took two wickets in each of the first two sessions, removing Tom Haines, Jacob Bethell, Jordan Coz and Rehan Ahmed in what looked like a comfortable outing for someone returning from injury.

☝️ Haines c Atkinson b Stokes

🦁 4️⃣7️⃣-1️⃣ pic.twitter.com/DVa9Qk0Rnr

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) November 13, 2025

☝️ Cox c Wood b Stokes

🦁 1️⃣6️⃣8️⃣-4️⃣ pic.twitter.com/dqXPjJoIqf

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) November 13, 2025

Bethell could score only two runs before falling to a short delivery, while Cox looked promising with his half-century before succumbing to a Stoke’s bouncer.

Durham’s McKineey impressed with bat

Durham opener Ben McKinney made the most of favourable batting conditions as he scored 67 runs before edging Tongue shortly after lunch. The pitch that was offering bounce but little pace allowed batters time to play their shots, but Stokes’ intensity stood out among England’s pacers.

Positive signs for England ahead of Ashes

Mark Wood, who also made a comeback after nine months, bowled two short spells before leaving the field prior to tea, with Bethell taking over fielding duties. England rested their left-arm spinner Shoaib Bashir for the first innings, hinting at their tactical approach for the Ashes opener.

For Stokes, this performance will feel like a personal victory and will serve as a reminder that the all-rounder’s skills and leadership remain central to England’s plans as they prepare for one of cricket’s biggest battles.