England suffered an agonizing six-run loss to India at the Oval on Monday as one of the most dramatic Test series of recent times ended in a 2-2 draw.
The next major red-ball assignment is a five-match Ashes series away to arch-rivals Australia — where England has gone 15 Tests without a win — starting in November.
What England gains from having Ben Stokes in the side was never more evident than when its inspirational captain missed the fifth Test with a shoulder injury — a fresh worry following his history of hamstring trouble.
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