Ben Stokes and Mark Wood will be "raring to go" in time for the Ashes, according to England pace bowler Brydon Carse. Talismanic England skipper Stokes missed the final Test against India in July because of a shoulder injury, while express paceman Wood has not played a Test since August 2024 as a result of elbow and knee problems. Both are looking to be fit for the first Test in Perth on 21 November, a series opener that Australia captain Pat Cummins has said he is "less likely than likely" to feature in because of a back injury.

Carse, a Durham team-mate of Stokes and Wood, said: "Ben and Woody are going well. I've been down to Loughborough in the past couple of weeks, had a couple of nights with them. Ben is looking near enough 100% fit and so is Mark. I've been bowling with them. It's exciting to see where they have got to after their setbacks during the summer. They will be raring to go come Australia time."

Pace bowling and the durability of the respective attacks could be a decisive factor in the outcome of a five-Test Ashes series crammed into the space of seven weeks. With Aussie spearhead Cummins a huge doubt for Perth and possibly beyond, the home side will rely on Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Scott Boland, all in their mid-30s. Beyond that, their other seamers are inexperienced or untried at Test level.

The group of fast bowlers named by England is set to be their fastest and most hostile to tour Australia in more than 50 years, albeit with some fitness doubts among them. By the time of the first Test, Wood will not have played any competitive cricket since February. Despite that lack of action, the 35-year-old - probably the fastest bowler in the world - often claims he is at his best when fresh.

All-rounder Stokes, 34, is vital to England's Ashes hopes, but has a history of pushing himself to breaking point. He has not completed any of England's past four Test series and in the home summer against India his large bowling workload resulted in the shoulder injury. Stokes and Wood are also the only pace bowlers in the England squad to have played in a Test down under before, but Carse believes the touring seamers will not suffer for their lack of time in Australian conditions.

"You can look at it two ways," said Carse, speaking at the Toyota Professional Cricketers' Association awards. "Stokesy and Woody have played in Ashes series down in Australia, so they have the experience to fall back on. A couple of the other seamers have played in A trips out there. Hopefully that experience will allow them to feel a level of confidence going into the Ashes."

Carse made his Test debut a year ago in Pakistan and has since become a key member of the England attack, taking 36 wickets in nine matches. He has had injury problems of his own, suffering from cuts to his feet, but came through the home summer unscathed by making holes in the bowling boot of his left foot. "It's been good," he said. "To get through four Tests and two one-day series, I couldn't have asked for much better."

Meanwhile, England batter Jacob Bethell said he has been told "nothing" about what his role in Australia might be. Bethell is thought to be competing with Ollie Pope for the number three position in the England batting order, particularly after Pope was replaced as vice-captain by Harry Brook. The 21-year-old has the advantage of playing international cricket before the Ashes begins. Bethell is part of the England squad for the three T20s in New Zealand, beginning on Saturday, and the three one-day internationals that follow. Pope is not part of the white-ball set-up.

"I'll be playing cricket, but whether that has any impact on what actually happens going into that Ashes series, I don't know," said Bethell. "At the end of the day, all I've got to focus on is trying to win games in, first of all, the T20 format and then on to the 50-over format for England. Hopefully those performances bode well for going into that Test series."