Ben Stokes has called on his England teammates to put collective success ahead of personal interests as they prepare for the fifth Ashes Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
The tourists have already surrendered the urn after losing the opening three matches in just 11 days of cricket, leaving a 3-2 defeat as their best possible outcome.
Ahead of the final encounter, the captain said: “Although we can’t get the thing we came here for, we’ve still got the chance to go out there and win a game of cricket for England.”
Stokes made clear that players should avoid becoming protective of their places in the side, particularly given that Ashes defeats typically prompt squad changes.
He said: “There shouldn’t be any reason for anyone to get individual or insular about what they want to do this week.”
The skipper warned that self-interested thinking would be transparent to observers.
Stokes added: “As soon as someone starts thinking about their own performances it becomes quite easy to see through.”
He emphasised that the culture he has fostered within the group demands that every thought, word and action serves the team’s interests rather than individual ambitions.
England have declined to confirm their starting eleven before the match, opting instead to announce their team at the toss.
A 12-man squad was named on Friday, with seamer Matthew Potts appearing likely to earn his Ashes debut as a replacement for the injured Gus Atkinson.
The remaining selection dilemma centres on whether to pick spinner Shoaib Bashir or all-rounder Will Jacks, a decision largely dependent on how much assistance the pitch offers slow bowlers.
The SCG has traditionally favoured spin, though that reputation has diminished in recent years, with only nine wickets falling to spinners across the entire series.
